Allahabad HC acquits Talwars in Aarushi murder case, gives benefit of doubt (Third Lead)

The Allahabad High Court on Thursday acquitted dentist couple Rajesh and Nupur Talwar in the murder of their teenaged daughter Aarushi and domestic help Hemraj by giving them the benefit of the doubt, but left questions unanswered on who killed them.

A bench of Justice B.K. Narayana and Justice A.K. Mishra acquitted the couple for the murder of 14-year-old Aarushi Talwar at her Jalvayu Vihar home in Noida on May 16, 2008.

Their lawyer Rebecca John said the evidence presented by the CBI "did not stand judicial scrutiny and that is the end of it".

Pinaki Misra, another defence counsel, said the CBI court judgment was "absolutely perverse and the High Court has set it aside correctly".

After a Special CBI Court in Ghaziabad convicted them for the murders in 2013 and handed them life terms, the Talwars appealed in the Allahabad High Court against the verdict.

The Talwars were lodged in Dasna jail in Ghaziabad district ever since their 2013 conviction.

Another defence lawyer Tanveer Ahmad said they were awaiting a copy of the detailed court order and expected Rajesh and Nupur Talwar to be out of prison anytime on Friday.

Aarushi was found murdered in her bedroom, following which Hemraj was initially a suspect. However, his body too was found in a pool of blood a day later on the terrace of the house.

The UP Police accused Rajesh Talwar of killing his daughter in a fit of rage after he allegedly found Aarushi in a compromising situation with Hemraj. Rajesh Talwar was arrested on May 23, 2008.

On May 31, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the case. It initially absolved the parents of conspiracy and murder but later held them responsible.

On June 13, Rajesh Talwar's compounder Krishna was arrested by the CBI. Ten days later, Raj Kumar, a servant of a doctor friend of the Talwars, and Vijay Mandal, the domestic help of the Talwars' neighbour, were also nabbed.

The three were later freed after no evidence was found against them.

--IANS

md/tsb/bg