Senior did not let me arrest Nupur Talwar: CBI officer

Ghaziabad, April 24 (IANS) A CBI officer investigating the murders of Aarushi Talwar and Hemraj admitted during his cross-examination Wednesday that he was not allowed to arrest Nupur Talwar, Aarushi's mother and co-accused with her husband Rajesh Talwar.

The CBI investigation officer (IO) A.G.L. Kaul told the court of Special CBI Judge S. Lal that his superior officer Neelabh Kishore did not allow him to arrest Nupur Talwar.

Kaul was answering questions raised by defence counsels why he did not arrest Nupur Talwar if she was found guilty of destroying evidence after Rajesh Talwar "killed" Aarushi and Hemraj.

Defence lawyer Manoj Sishodia said the IO had said that the agency conducted the narco test of the Talwar's compounder Krishna Aug 12, 2008, and arrested him Aug 13, 2008.

The agency had recovered a pillow from Krishna's room Aug 14, 2008, which had Hemraj's blood, as confirmed by the Hyderabad-based Central DNA and Fingerprints Department (CDFD).

The agency submitted CDFD's report before the court, which indicated Krishna's involvement in the double murders.

But when the same report was used by the defence before Allahabad High Court in a revision petition filed by Nupur Talwar, the agency - after more than a year - overturned its views and sought a report from the CDFD which said that the articles which were tested had been interchanged due to a "typographical error".

The defence counsel asked Kaul why a touch DNA test was not conducted of the bloody palm print on the wall leading to the terrace of Talwar's apartment in Noida, where the murders occurred.

The counsel said the Talwars had requested for a touch DNA test to be done in any foreign country for which they were willing to pay. The test was not carried out.

The IO told the court that Rajesh Talwar had found Aarushi and Hemraj in a "compromising position". Enraged, he first hit Rajesh Talwar with a golf club. He then hit Aarushi with the club and proceeded to slit their throats with a surgical instrument.

Shishodia, who cross-examined Kaul, told IANS: "CBI officer Vijay Kumar had earlier admitted that the agency conducted a sound test in Aarushi's room. No sounds could be heard in the other room (Rajesh and Nupur Talwar's)."

The hearing was adjourned for April 26.

Aarushi, 14, was found murdered at her parents' Noida residence May 16, 2008. The body of Hemraj was found the next day on the terrace of the house.