New Delhi:
A court in Ghaziabad near Delhi has issued a non-bailable warrant for Nupur Talwar, who has been accused, along with her husband Rajesh, of murdering their 13-year-old daughter, Aarushi.
The warrant was issued because Nupur did not show up today in the court which, in February 2011, had ordered her to stand trial with her husband for Aarushi's death.
The next date of hearing has been fixed by the Ghaziabad court for the 18th, which means that the CBI could arrest her before then if she does not surrender. The Talwars also have the option of appealing to a higher court to cancel the warrant issued today. Rajesh was present in court but refused to comment on today's developments.
The lawyer for the Talwars said in court today that the couple has already appealed to the Supreme Court against the order that puts them on trial for their daughter's murder. That case will be heard on the 27th by the Supreme Court. Till that is decided, their lawyer says, the court in Ghaziabad should not issue any directions on Nupur's case.
Aarushi was found dead in her bedroom at the Talwars' home in the suburb of Noida in May 2008, days before her 14th birthday. The Talwars' domestic help, Hemraj, was discovered dead on their roof a day later.
Aarushi's father, Rajesh, like his wife, is a dentist. He was arrested a week after Aarushi's death but was later released on bail when the CBI said it did not have any evidence against him. He is currently on bail.
When the CBI asked the Ghaziabad court in December 2010 if it could close the Aarushi case, the judge refused.
The CBI said it still did not have enough evidence against anyone connected to the case, but it reiterated its belief that Rajesh was responsible for his daughter's death. The court then asked for her parents to be tried for murder and destruction of evidence.