The Aarushi Case: More Red Herrings

27 March, 2011

This is about the latest development in the Aarushi case whereby late Hemraj's widow has come out with fresh allegations against the Talwars.

THE AARUSHI murder case is getting murkier and murkier with each passing day. The latest twist is the arrival of Hemaraj’s widow with the claim that the Talwars killed her husband. Where was she all these days? What has made her step out of the shadows now and plunge one more nail into the coffin that the police, the public and some sections of the media are assiduously preparing for the Talwars? If she knew about the threat to her husband’s life why did she remain silent so long? These are questions which every responsible citizen, who believes in justice should ponder.

It is highly significant that just before she came out with her claim, the Supreme Court gave a reprieve to the Talwars who have been charged with their daughter’s murder by the Ghaziabad court. Was her announcement timed to coincide with this development? Is this latest move aimed to checkmate the Talwars?

If so, by whom? It is patently obvious that Hemaraj's wife is a pawn in the hands of a powerful lobby with some vested interests. The way the Talwars have been persistently hounded and relentlessly driven from pillar to post to save their own skin when they should have been doing all they can to ensure that their daughter’s killer is caught, is indicative of something deeply rotten in the state of affairs of India’s law-enforcing machinery.

If people in India feel that this country has a model police force and judiciary, which are always on the side of the wronged and the innocent, then they are suffering from a massive delusion. We have enough examples by now to know that these institutions are riddled with corruption and venality and use their influence to help mostly the moneyed and the mighty. If indeed the Talwars had such clout, today they would not be at the receiving end of such endless persecution.

Not just in India, even in countries like Italy, innocent people are routinely implicated in crimes by a corrupt police force to hide its own ineptitude and silence people who ask too many uncomfortable questions. Anybody who has read the book, “The Monster of Florence” by Douglas Preston (in association with Italian reporter, Mario Spezi), a real-life account of a murder investigation gone awry, in which the journalist, who was investigating the crime was arrested as a prime suspect, a serial killer, will be aware of this. Those who saw the recent movie, “Aakrosh”, starring Ajay Devgan and Akshaye Khanna as two investigators probing a honour killing in the badlands of UP, can also get an idea of how the local police can sometimes be more committed to saving criminals than solving crimes.

Granted that there are parents who abuse and kill their own children. But at the very least, the Talwars deserve a fair hearing, not persecution and oppression at every step. Meanwhile, a picture is hazily emerging from this recent development in the case. Someone or some people are desperate to ensure that the truth does not come out. They probably possess money power or clout and will employ any means including coercing and intimidating key witnesses to hide the truth and worse, implicate the Talwars. Are these the people who killed Aarushi? Are they the ones who bungled the case?

This case has engaged the attention of the people of the country for many reasons. For the same reason, we too seek answers and closure, not just the Talwars. We want to know what happened to Aarushi that night and why her parents are not being allowed to find her killers? Let every angle be explored –from former servants (even those who worked for them before Hemaraj arrived) to neighbours who had a grudge against the Talwars, even if they include serving or retired policemen. For Aarushi’s sake, this case must be kept alive until the true culprits are caught. And that includes the people who are trying to thwart the investigation by hook or by crook.