New Delhi:
Rajesh and Nupur Talwar, the doctor-couple facing trial for the murders of their daughter Aarushi and domestic help Hemraj, will move Allahabad High Court today for the production of all 13 witnesses who the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had dropped as prosecution witnesses.
Earlier this month, the special CBI court in Ghaziabad, which is hearing the case, had partially accepted the Talwars' plea for the examination of seven out of a list of 13 persons the accused couple had submitted. Seeking to challenge the trial court's decision, the dentist couple plans to move the High Court.
The seven defence witnesses, on which the court agreed, include Dr RK Sharma, former head of department of forensic science at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences or AIIMS, Dr Urmil Sharma, a gynaecologist and emeritus consultant at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in Delhi, Dr Amulya Chadda, a dentist and Mahendra Sharma, a carpenter.
The judge, however, dropped the names of Dr Richa Sexena, SL Vaya, expert at FSL in Gujarat Nodal officer of Airtel, Nodal officer of Vodafone, Arun Kumar, Uttar Pradesh ADG (crime and law &order), and registrar at Supreme Court to summon them as defence witnesses.
Three of these seven witnesses have so far recorded their statements before the special CBI court. The latest to record her statement was Dr Urmil Sharma, who is the witness from the side of the Talwars. Dr Urmil explained to the court on Monday that if a 13-14 year-old girl dies, and vaginal test is conducted after her death, vaginal orifice would not be found open and vaginal canal will not be visible.
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.