There has been a mixed reaction in Mumbai to the conviction of Rajesh and Nupur Talwar for the murder of their daughter Aarushi and servant Hemraj more than five years ago.
Abha Singh, a bureaucrat-turned lawyer, described it as a landmark judgment based on circumstantial evidence. “It also showed how police botch up cases and how the lack of investigative skills and their lackadaisical approach are responsible for the poor rate of conviction,” Singh said. “It was an open-and-shut case, which also showed the prevalence of honour-killing. The judiciary has proved that there is still hope in this corrupt system,” she added.
However, Flavia Agnes, women’s rights activist, believes that this is not the end of the story as the lawyers for the Talwars have said that they will appeal against the verdict. “I will not go by media reports. The judgment is on the basis of evidence,” Agnes said.
Fourteen-year-old Aarushi was found murdered in her apartment in Noida on the morning of May 16, 2008. The body of their domestic help Hemraj was discovered on the terrace of the three-storey building a day later.
The CBI nailed the parents on the basis of the “last seen” theory. They have been convicted for murder, destruction of evidence and giving false information. The court will hear arguments on the sentencing on Tuesday.
