'Probes flawed as a whole, need to improve': Lawyer Indira Jaising after SC acquits Nithari convict Surinder Koli

NOIDA: Senior lawyer Indira Jaising, whose midnight intervention on Sept 8, 2014 saved Nithari killings convict Surinder Koli from the gallows, told TOI Tuesday no one should be executed until all legal remedies are fully exhausted.Recalling the midnight intervention, Jaising said she received information on Sept 7 that Koli was scheduled to be executed the next day, even though his review petition was not heard in open court. "Multiple sources informed me about the execution as it was a high-profile case," she said after Supreme Court acquitted Koli in the last of the 13 cases in which he was convicted, paving the way for him to walk free.

"Death penalty is irreversible, so we should consider abolition of the death penalty so innocent people are not sent to the gallows," Jaising said.Jaising added the process of investigation is flawed as a whole in the country. "The question remains, who killed the children? Not only in this case but in many other cases, including Jessica Lal, this question has been asked as to who killed her. Fault lies elsewhere and that should be cured. Even the judiciary has repeatedly said that investigations need to improve. We have the capacity to use electronic evidence, but to what extent that is going to help, time will tell," she said.