7KH$DUXVKL&DVH)LOHV_23(10DJD]LQH

7 8 ( 6 ' $ <    2 & 7 2 % ( 5  

0$05DPDVZDP\7KHODVWNLQJRI&KHWWLQDG

$GVE\*RRJOH

VHDUFK23(1

0XVLF6RQJV

%ROO\ZRRG0RYLHV

6KDUHRQHPDLO
6KDUHRQIDYRULWHV



1DUHQGUD0RGL


%ROO\ZRRG6DUHH

6KDUHRQGLJJ _

12May2012

0RUH6KDULQJ6HUYLFHV

TheAarushiCaseFiles

KWWSZZZDGGWKLVFRPERRNPDUNSKS"
Y  SXE RSHQPDJ

4XHVWLRQVWKDWFRQWLQXHWRFRQIRXQGXV
KWWSWZLWWHUFRPVKDU
H"
XUO KWWS$))
ZZZRSHQWKHPDJD]LQ
HFRP)DUWLFOH)Q
DWLRQ)WKHDDUXVKL
FDVH
ILOHV FRXQW KRUL]RQWDO
YLD WH[W 7KH$
DUXVKL&DVH)LO
HV FRXQWXUO KWWS$
))ZZZRSHQWK
HPDJD]LQHFRP)DU
WLFOH)QDWLRQ)WKH
DDUXVKLFDVHILOHV
KWWSZZZIDFHERRNFRPVKDUHUSKS

% <  MihirSrivastava(/category/author/mihirsrivastava) ( 0 $ , /  $ 8 7 + 2 5  6 
PD LOW R  PLK LU#R S H Q PH G LD Q H W Z R UN LQ   H G LW R U#R S H Q PH G LD Q H W Z R UN LQ 

7 $ * * ( '  8 1 ' ( 5  _  CBI(/category/tags/cbi)_  murder(/category/tags/murder)_  Aarushi

Talwar(/category/tags/aarushitalwar)
: + 2' 8 1 ,7

KWWSZZZRSHQWKHPDJD]LQHFRPDUWLFOHQDWLRQWKHDDUXVKLFDVHILOHV





7KH$DUXVKL&DVH)LOHV_23(10DJD]LQH

AarushiTalwar,14,andHemraj,40,aNepalicitizen,weremurderedonthe
nightof15May2008,betweenmidnightand1am.Fouryearslater,the
murdertrialisfinallyduetostart.ThishashappeneddespitetheCBI
arrivingatnofinalconclusionsaftertwoyearsofinvestigatingthecase.The
CBIclosurereportthatledtothetrialobservedthattheagencywasseeking
closureofthecasebecausetherewerecriticalandsubstantialgapsinthe
circumstantialevidencecollectedandanabsenceofaclearcutmotiveand
incompleteunderstandingofthesequenceofevents.Aarushisparents,
NupurandRajeshTalwar,opposedtheCBIsmove.InFebruarylastyear,a
specialCBIcourtagreedtotheirpleathattherewasenoughevidencefora
meaningfultrial.ThecourtmadetheCBIclosurereportthebasisfora
chargesheet,butthedecisioncamewithariderAarushismurdercase
wouldbetriedwithherparents,NupurandRajesh,asthemainaccused.
Fromtheverybeginning,thecasehasneverbeenshortofmediaattention,
anddifferingperceptionsofthecasehavearousedstrongpassionsand
opinions.Twodifferinghumanemotionshavecometogethertocreatethis
interest:oneisgriefatayounggirlstragicdeathandincredulitythather
parentscouldevenbethoughttobeinvolvedinthemurder.Forsome,thisis
inconceivable,itgoesagainsttheirconceptionofhumannatureforothers,
itistheonlyexplanationthatseemstofitthefacts.Itisanothermatterthat
inboththesenarratives,themurderofHemraj,andthestoryofthedomestic
staffonceaccusedofthecrimebecomeonlyanappendagetothemainstory.

KWWSZZZRSHQWKHPDJD]LQHFRPDUWLFOHQDWLRQWKHDDUXVKLFDVHILOHV





7KH$DUXVKL&DVH)LOHV_23(10DJD]LQH

KWWSZZZRSHQWKHPDJD]LQHFRPDUWLFOHQDWLRQWKHDDUXVKLFDVHILOHV





7KH$DUXVKL&DVH)LOHV_23(10DJD]LQH

Theotheristhebafflingnatureofthecircumstancessurroundingthe
murders.Itisawhodunnitliftedoutofthemostclassicmurdermysterya
lockedhouseholdandnosignsofaforcedentry.Addtothistheconstant
andrepeatedbunglingbythepoliceandclearattemptstotamperwith
evidencebypeoplewhoseroleshavenotbeenfullyinvestigatedorexplained,
andweareleftwithapuzzlethatdefiesanyeasysolution.Muchhasbeen
writtenaboutthecase,butinthedetailsthathavebeenarguedoverand
examinedinthemedia,theoverallpictureremainsfuzzy.Weattempttogive
theclearestpictureyetofwhatexactlywasfoundonthemorningofthe
murderandthequestionsthatstillremainunanswered.
Onthemorningafterthemurders,16May2008,at6am,themaid,Bharati,
aswasherdailyroutine,rangthedoorbelltotheTalwarssecondfloor
apartment.Twodoorsattheentrance,anironmeshdoorfollowedbya
woodendoor,separatedbyapassage,ledtothehouse.Bharatiwas
surprisedtoseetheTalwarsopeningthewoodendoorastheywerelate
risers.ItwasHemrajwhowouldalwaysletherin,buttodaytheironmesh
doorwaslockedfromtheoutsideandHemrajwasnotaround.Nupur
walkedintoHemrajsroom,foundthekeysandthrewthemdowntothe
groundflooroutofawindowastherewasnowaytohandthemthroughthe
meshdoor.Bharatiwentdownstairstogetthekeys.Inherstatementtothe
CBI,NupursaidthatatthispointtheywerenotawarethatAarushihadbeen
murdered.ShethencalledHemrajonhismobile,hopingtolocatehim.The
callwasansweredandimmediatelydisconnected.Thetowerlocation
suggestedthatHemrajsmobilewasinthevicinityoftheflatatthetime.
Withinafewminutes,Bharatireturnedupstairswiththekeys,openedthe
meshdoor,andenteredthehousetofindNupurstandingnexttothe
diningtablewhileRajeshwasstandingatthedoorofAarushisroom.They
werebothintears.TheytoldBharati,DekhoHemrajkyakarkegayahai.
BharatifoundAarushilyinginapoolofbloodonherbed,herbodycovered
withawhitebedsheet.Sheranoutoftheflattoinformtheneighbours.
NupurcalledherparentstheDurranis,whowerefriendsoftheTalwars
andRajeshsbrotherDineshTalwartoletthemknowwhathadhappened.
Thepolicewereinformedaboutanhourlater,at7:15am.
Thecrimehappenedinsideaclosedhousewithnoeyewitnesses.Therewere
fourpeopleinsidealockedhousewithnoforcedentry:twoofthemwere
murdered.NupurandRajeshclaimedthattheyhadsleptthroughthenight,
from12pmto6am,whilethemurdererswereintheflat.TheTalwars
bedroomdoorwasshutandanoisyairconditionerwasrunning.Awooden
partitionseparatedtheirroomfromAarushis.
Hemrajsbodywasrecovered,adaylater,ontheterraceoftheflatbyretired
DSP(deputysuperintendentofpolice)KKGautam.Butthisbarestatementof
factsconcealsanumberofmysteriesthatremainunsolved:
4 8(67 ,2 12 ) 7 +(+2 86(.(<6

TherearetwoseparateentriestotheTalwarsflat.Themainentrancehas
anironmeshdoorfollowedbyashortpassagewayleadingtoawooden
door,whiletheotherentranceisthroughHemrajsroom(servantsquarter).

KWWSZZZRSHQWKHPDJD]LQHFRPDUWLFOHQDWLRQWKHDDUXVKLFDVHILOHV





7KH$DUXVKL&DVH)LOHV_23(10DJD]LQH
Noforcedentryorbreakinwasdetected.Theironmeshdoorwaslocked
fromtheoutside.ThedoortoHemrajsroomwasboltedfromtheinside.The
keystothemainentrance(thegrillgate)werefoundinhisroom.The
duplicatesetofkeyswaswiththeTalwars.Inthisscenario,theonly
plausiblewaythekeyscouldhavebeenfoundinsideHemrajsroomafterthe
meshdoorwaslockedfromtheoutside,wasifthekeyswerebroughtin
throughHemrajsroomandthenthatdoorwaslockedfromtheinside(see
graphicabove).SinceHemrajandAarushiweremurdered,thisallowsonly
threepossibilities:
(i)EitheroneorboththeTalwarswereinvolvedinthemurder
(ii)Eitheroneorbothofthemallowedthemurdererstoexitandcollected
thekeysfromthem
(iii)Therewasanothersetofkeysthathassofarnotbeenmentionedby
anyonerelatedtothecase.
7 +(6&(1(2 ) 7 +(&5,0(

Bothbodieshadsimilarinjuries:afatalblowontheforeheadbyablunt
objectandthethroatslitbyasmall,sharpobject.Thebluntinjuryinflicted
firstwassufficienttocausethevictimsdeath.Theincisionwoundonthe
neckwasinflictedlater.TheCBIreportclaimsthatwhenAarushiwas
assaultedthedoortoherbedroomwasopen,butprovidesnobasisforthis
conclusion.
Themurdererswereapparentlyinnohurrytoleave,andspentconsiderable
timedressingupthesceneofthecrime.Aarushisbodywasfound
undisturbedonherbeddespitetheviolentassaultthatcausedherdeath(see
photoabove),whichraisesthequestionofwhethershewaskilledinsidethe
roomoroutside.TheCBIhasnoconclusiveanswertothisquestion.The
bedsheetwaslaidoutsmoothly,showingnosignsofstruggle.Acircular
watermarkwasfoundbelowherpelvicareaonthebedsheet,buthervisibly
untiedpyjamasdidnothaveanysuchwetpatch.Thisindicatesthatthe
pyjamaswerepulledupafterherbodywasswabbedclean.
Thebleedingshowstwodistinctpatterns:drainagefromtheincisionand
splashingdroplets.Herschoolbagandapinkpillowliewithinrangeofthe
splashedbloodareabuthavenobloodstainsonthem,indicatingtheywere
placedonthebedafterhermurder.
:+2 %2 7 &+('837 +(0(',&$/ 5(32 57 6"

AtelephonicloopwascreatedsixtimesbetweenRajeshsbrother,Dinesh
Talwar,afamilyfriendDrSushilChaudharyandKKGautam(thesame
retiredDSPwholaterhelpedthepolicefindHemrajsbody)andan
unidentifiednumber,inthisorder,andsoonafterinthereverseorder,on
theeveningof16May,whenthepostmortemreportwasbeingprepared.
Thiswasdone,theCBImaintains,toensurethatthewordrapedoesnot
appearinthepostmortemreport.ButtheCBIhasmadenoattemptsto
explainhowthisloopwasconnectedtothepostmortem,andonwhatbasis
itmadesuchaclaim.Againasimilarloopwascreatedtwicebetween9and
10thenextmorning(17May),justbeforeKKGautamhelpedthepolice
recoverHemrajsbodyfromtheTalwarsterrace.Againthereisnoclarityon
whythisloopwascreatedandwhatitwasusedfor.
Shockingly,itwasfoundthatAarushisvaginalswabs,sentfortestingat
theCentreforDNAFingerprintingandDiagnostics,Hyderabad,didnot
matchherbloodsamples.Inotherwords,theswabsdidnotbelongtoher.
TheCBIraidedtheNoidaDistrictHospitaltofindthatAarushisoriginal
medicalfile,herpathologyreports,autopsyfindingshadallgonemissing.
TheCBIfailedtoestablishwhetherthesamplewasswitchedinthehospital
oratthepolicestation.Thishasensuredthatvitalcluesthatcouldhaveled
tothemurdererswerelostforever.
Intheclosurereport,theCBIalsostates,Thevaginalorificeofthedeceased
wasundulylargeandmouthof[the]cervixwasvisible.Itfailedtoelaborate
onthesignificanceofthisstatementandwhatitimplies.Thepostmortem

KWWSZZZRSHQWKHPDJD]LQHFRPDUWLFOHQDWLRQWKHDDUXVKLFDVHILOHV





7KH$DUXVKL&DVH)LOHV_23(10DJD]LQH
reportissilentonthepossibilityofsexualassaultinspiteofthe
panchanama(thefirstonsitepolicereport)specificallyaskingwhetherthe
girlwasraped.Clearly,therewasasuccessfulattemptmadetoeraseall
evidencethatcouldhaveconfirmedorruledoutsexualassault,butwhowas
behindit?
TheCBIhasstatedinitsclosurereportthathighlyinfluentialpeoplewere
tryingtothwarttheprobe.TheCBI,predictably,didnotidentifythese
influentialpeople.Whoarethesehighlyinfluentialpeople?AndiftheCBI
knowsenoughtoknowtheyarehighlyinfluential,whyisitnotsaying
more?
5(',6&2 9(5<2 ) 7 +(0,66,1* * 2 / ) &/ 8%

Thereweretwosimilarsetsofinjuriesthatcouldhavecausedthedeathsof
AarushiandHemraj:ablowfromabluntobjectontheirforeheadandan
incisiontotheirneckwithasharpinstrument.Theblowfromtheblunt
objectleftaU/Vshapedscarontheforehead.Themetalbaseofthegolf
clubnumbered5,seizedfromRajeshTalwarafterayearisofadimension
matchingtheinjurymark.Thisclub,whichwentmissingforayear,theCBI
claims,forunexplainedreasons,wasfoundbyNupurandRajeshscousin,
AjayChadda,intheloftoftheirhousewhenitwasbeingcleaned.TheCBI
reportstatesthatnobodyfluidorbloodstainswerefoundonthegolfstick.
2 7 +(5$12 0$/ ,(6

TheparentscontrolledallaccesstoAarushisroom.Thearrangementwas
suchthatAarushicouldopenthedoorfrominsidebutitcouldbeopened
fromtheoutsideonlywithakeythatNupurusuallykeptwithherself.Nupur
isnotsurewhethersheleftthekeyinthedoorbeforeshewenttoherroomto
sleepthatnight.Thekeywasfoundinthelobbythenextdayatnoon.How
diditgetthere?
Aarushiwouldusuallybeuplate,chattingwithherfriendswellpast
midnight.On16May,hercellphonewasinactiveafter9.10pm.At
midnight,herfriendAnmolcalledontheTalwarslandlineaftershedidnt
respondtocallsonhermobile.Thiscallwasnotansweredeither.Anmol
thensentanSMStohercellphoneataround12.30itwasnotreceivedby
Aarushismobile.Rajeshwasonlinetill12:08pm.Whydidsheswitchoff
hermobilesoearlythatnight?
Themurdererswereapparentlyinnohurrytoleavenorwerethey
strangerstothehouse.Aftercommittingthemurders,theyprocuredabottle
ofBallantinesScotchfromaconcealedbaranddrankitnearthedining
table(seepoint4inthegraphic).Thebottlebearsbloodstainsofboth
AarushiandHemrajsblood,butnoclearfingerprintscouldberecovered.
Theinternetrouter,inAarushisroom,wasswitchedoffthreehoursafter
shewassupposedtohavebeenkilled.
TheCBIsinvestigationhasonlyaddedtothebizarrenessofthecase.
Indiaspremierinvestigativeagencyfiledtwocontradictoryreportsbasedon
thesamepiecesofevidence.ThefirstinvestigationunderJointDirector
ArunKumar,fromJune2008toApril2009,blamedthethreedomesticstaff
Krishna,RajKumarandVijayMandal.Thesecondinvestigation,ledby
DeputyDirectorNilabhKishore,afterMay2009,suggestedtheinvolvement
ofRajeshTalwar.

KWWSZZZRSHQWKHPDJD]LQHFRPDUWLFOHQDWLRQWKHDDUXVKLFDVHILOHV





7KH$DUXVKL&DVH)LOHV_23(10DJD]LQH

(http://subscribe.openthemagazine.com)

WhatistheCBIupto?

(http://twitter.com
/share?

Shareonemail
Shareonfacebook
(#)Shareontwitter
(#)
(#)
(#)

url=http%3A%2F%

(#)

2Fwww.openthema
gazine.com%2Farti

MoreSharingServices

cle%2Fnation%2Ft

(http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?

heaarushicase

v=250&pub=openmag)

files&count=horizo
ntal&via=&text=Th
e%20Aarushi%20C
ase%20Files&count
url=http%3A%2F%
2Fwww.openthema
gazine.com%2Farti
cle%2Fnation%2Ft
heaarushicase
files)
(http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php)

A LS OI N N A TI ON

Cast(e)aways(/article/nation/bihar2015assemblyelections
casteaways)
WhathappenswhentheleadingalliancesinBihararebiasedtowardsfieldingYadav
candidates

  2 & 7      _ % <  KumarAnshumaninPatna(/category/author/kumaranshumaninpatna)

BeholdtheDigitalDeliverer(/article/nation/beholdthedigital
deliverer)
ModidazzlesthesmartestinSiliconValley

  2 & 7      _ % <  VShobainSanJose(/category/author/vshobainsanjose)

TheFutileSeat(/article/nation/unindiapermanentmemberthefutile
seat)
ModishouldnotwastehistimeontheUN

  2 & 7      _ % <  HarshVPant(/category/author/harshvpant)

S E E A LL ( / AR C H I VE/ 14 6 / 9 8 8 7 )

KWWSZZZRSHQWKHPDJD]LQHFRPDUWLFOHQDWLRQWKHDDUXVKLFDVHILOHV