The Central Bureau of Investigation was on Friday directed by a Ghaziabad court to further probe the role of businessman Mohinder Singh Pandher in the infamous Nithari killings case although he had earlier been given a clean-chit by the invesgitating agency.

The order was passed by Special CBI Judge Rama Jain in connection with kidnapping and murder of a 21-year-old woman following an application by the victim's father questioning the move of the CBI in not charging Pandher with murder.

Jaitun Sarkar, father of Pinki Sarkar, had challenged the CBI chargesheet in which Pandher's domestic help Surinder Koli has been accused of the killing.

Passing the order, Jain, who is the additional district and session judge, CBI, questioned the investigation carried into the woman's death and asked the agency to conduct a further probe with regard to Pandher's role in the case.

Pandher has been absolved of the charge of murder by the CBI in four chargesheets filed so far into the Nithari killings.

Khalid Khan, lawyer of the victim's father, had filed the application against the CBI on April 24 for giving a clean chit to Pandher in whose house in Noida the killings had taken place and had sought further investigation.

Initially, the matter had come up before Judicial Magistrate CBI Sapna Mishra who referred it to Jain's court since the issue of framing of charges is taking place in the latter's court.

While directing the CBI to carry out further investigation, Jain declined to issue summons to Pandher.

The CBI spokesman said in a release that the agency would comply with the court order.

Giving details of Friday's court proceedings, he said the father of a victim, who was allegedly killed by Surender Koli, had approached the court seeking further investigation against Pandher.

The petition was filed after the CBI filed its second chargesheet in the Nithari group of cases recently in the Pinki murder case against accused Koli.

The complainant, Jatin Sarkar filed a protest petition in the trial court praying that cognisance of the offence be taken against accused Pandher or direction be given to CBI for conducting further investigation with regard to accused Pandher.

The court after hearing the arguments of both sides on Friday rejected the request of the complainant for summoning accused Pandher or taking cognisance against him in this case, the spokesman said.

The court also took on record the contention of the CBI that statements of key witnesses have been recorded and relevant records showing the movement of Pandher have also been collected by the CBI, he said.

Even though the CBI has collected the records of the hotels and resorts in Dehradun where Pandher stayed during the relevant period, the court ordered that statements of employees of these hotels and resorts may be recorded.

The CBI will comply with the court order, the spokesman added.