CBI takes over probe into Nithari serial killings

The CBI on Wednesday finally took over the probe into the grisly killing of children and women at Nithari in nearby Noida from the Uttar Pradesh police by registering some cases.

"We have just now received a notification from the union government asking us to begin a probe into the Nithari killings," CBI Director Vijay Shanker told reporters in New Delhi on Wednesday evening.

The CBI's entry into the investigations in the case followed three days of sparring between the Centre and Uttar Pradesh government over issuing a formal notification on the issue.

The CBI will attach highest priority to the case and probe its entire ramifications, he said.

However, he refused to take any further questions from reporters.

Sources in the agency said towards the evening, the Noida police came to the CBI's headquarters and handed over all details pertaining to the case to the agency.

The CBI has re-registered some of the 19 cases of killings reported in Nithari, in which Moninder Singh Pandher and Surendra Koli are the main accused.