New Delhi:
The Supreme Court has rejected a plea by Rajesh and Nupur Talwar seeking to summon 14 witnesses, including former CBI official Arun Kumar, in the trial for murders of their daughter Aarushi and domestic help Hemraj.
Mr Talwar wanted the trial court to summon 14 people, which the CBI had dropped, as prosecution witnesses so that their lawyer could cross examine them.
"Once again the Supreme Court declined to interfere on petition filed by Talwar. They have approached that certain witnesses have to be called as court witnesses but it was rejected. The court said Talwars can summon them as defence witnesses," said CBI's counsel, Rajiv Nanda.
Earlier this month the Supreme Court declined to hear the plea by the dentist couple, who are both accused in the double murder, took objection to their approaching the court while bypassing the Allahabad High Court. The Talwars' petition seeking re-examination of the witnesses has been rejected by the special CBI court where the case is being tried and the Allahabad High Court.
Last week, the CBI court already began recording the statements of Rajesh and Nupur.
14-year-old Aarushi was found brutally murdered in the Talwars' Noida residence on May 16, 2008. The body of their domestic help Hemraj was found the next day from the terrace of the house. (
See special feature: India's unsolved mystery)
According to the CBI, Rajesh and Nupur Talwar were the main accused in the double murder. The agency claimed there was no evidence of any third person entering Talwars' premises on the night of the double murder.