Four years after, Aarushi-Hemraj murder case still makes headlines

26 September, 2012

One of the most mysterious and talked about Aarushi-Hemraj double-murder case has been in the limelight for several years now with new controversies and revelations. In the latest development, CBI has granted bail to Nupur Talwar, who walked out of the prison on September 25.

MAY 16, 2008 was a fateful day when 14-year-old Arushi Talwar, daughter of Dr Rajesh and Nupur Talwar, was found dead at her residence in Jal Vayu Vihar in Noida. The initial suspect for Noida police was the missing house servant, Hemraj. After a long day of investigations and search for Hemraj, police found his body on a terrace of the same house of Talwar's.

Case became murkier and received nationwide attention when it was alleged that parents were involved in the murder of their daughter. Reason was not clear even then and father Rajesh Talwar was arrested on May 23rd 2008 for double murder after Delhi police joined the investigations and alleged murder was committed by a 'doctor or by a butcher' as both bodies had throat slit. Police suspected that injury was caused by a blunt weapon such as golf stick and throat was slit by a sharp weapon like a doctor's knife.

On June 13th 2008, compounder of Rajesh Talwar, Krishna was arrested by CBI after he was made to go through a polygraph and narco analysis test. On June 31, Aaj Tak channel reported a new face, Vijay Mandal, is involved in Noida's double murder. He was a servant of a neighbour of Talwars, who was arrested on 11th July 2008.

Till 2010, after so many arrests, hearings and stories finally CBI in December 2010, submitted closure report. Ghaziabad court ruled that Rajesh Talwar is the sole suspect, and that Krishna and Mandal are completely clear. CBI charged Rajesh Talwar with forgery and concealing facts and clearing evidence. The Court also issued summons against Aarushi's parents, accusing them of murder and criminal conspiracy under IPC 302 and 120 in February 2011 when CBI said, "Only parents could have killed Aarushi".

Reports also said that Noida police worked very carelessly and allowed media to roam around the scene of crime and allowed parents to do last rites of their daughter in a hurry that destroyed 90% of the evidence. Mayawati, the then chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, of which Noida is a part, stepped in and took strict actions against some police officers by suspending them, citing the unsolved three-year-old Aarushi Talwar murder case in December 2011.

On April 11, 2012, special CBI court issued non-bailable warrant against Nupur Talwar but even after getting relief from Supreme Court on April 14th, she was sent to a Dasna jail after Ghaziabad court rejected her bail plea on 23rd April 2012.

Then news that Nupur is writing her biography in jail also reached our ears. Then on May 25th both Rajesh Talwar and Nupur Talwar were charged by the Ghaziabad court with murder, destruction of evidence and conspiracy and the reviewing petition was rejected by SC, giving a big set back to the couple.

After many trials and hearings, SC on 17th September granted bail to Nupur Talwar and setting her release for 25th of the month. Now Nupur is out on a bail, but the suspicions that couple killed the daughter and servant for so called honour, as they were reportedly found in a compromising position on that fateful day.