Moninder Singh Pandher was in Australia along with his wife when Rimpa Halder was raped and murdered on February 4, 2005, Pandher's lawyer told a Ghaziabad court on Tuesday.

But the visa and travel documents of Pandher, one of the prime accused in the Nithari killings, were not produced before the court. Pandher's counsel presented his wife's papers instead.

Rimpa was among several children who were raped, murdered and sliced into pieces allegedly by Pandher and his servant Surinder Koli.

Pandher's lawyer also argued that at the time of recoveries made from his D-5, Sector-31, house in Noida, it was only Koli who was present in the house. Khan contended that the prosecution was shielding Pandher while making Koli the real culprit. "The prosecution in its application and arguments did not mention Pandher and focuses only on Koli, linking him to the rape, murder and other charges," Khan said.

"At the time of recovery of bones and skulls of the children slaughtered at Pandher's residence, both Koli and Pandher were present. Also, the the recovery documents were signed by both of them," Khan argued.