Ghaziabad:
Nupur Talwar, who along with her husband Rajesh is accused of the double murder of their only child Aarushi and their domestic help Hemraj, has decided to sit on a fast at Dasna Jail in Ghaziabad till a court in the city decides on her bail today.
After spending a second night in Barrack No. 13, Mrs Talwar woke up early at 5:30 this morning and began her fast after a session of yoga. Praying for an early exit, she was seen reciting couplets of the Hanuman Chalisa, the jail superintendent said. "Since the intent of her fast is religious and not of protest, we have not objected to it," he added.
For dinner last night, Nupur had cabbage potatoes, dal, chapati and rice. And then, just as she did on her first day at jail, she watched television to keep a tab on news channels covering the murder trial of her daughter.
A Ghaziabad court headed by Judge S Lal began hearing her lawyer's request for bail on Monday. On Tuesday, he said he will share his verdict on Wednesday. If he rules in her favour, he will reverse the decision of Judge Preeti Singh, who has ordered the Talwars to stand trial for the double murder committed at their home in a Delhi suburb in 2008. The couple has appealed against this decision in the Supreme Court, which has refused to suspend the trial while it deliberates the appeal.
Neither Nupur nor Rajesh, who are both dentists, were present in court yesterday. However, Rajesh and Nupur's mother visited her in jail for a meeting that lasted about 20 minutes. In 2008, Rajesh spent nearly two months at the same jail.
Aarushi was found dead in her bedroom at the Talwars' apartment in Noida, a Delhi suburb, in May 2008. Their domestic help Hemraj was missing and became the main suspect. But hours later, his body was discovered on the Talwars' roof. Rajesh Talwar was then arrested. The case was transferred to the CBI after gross negligence by the Noida police. The CBI decided that there was not enough evidence against Mr Talwar, and he was released from prison. The CBI then arrested four men who worked for the Talwars and their neighbours. But the CBI could not find conclusive evidence against them either and they were also released from prison.
In December 2010, the CBI asked for permission to close its investigation. The agency said it did not have enough evidence to charge anyone with the murders of Aarushi and Hemraj, but it told Judge Preeti Singh that it believed Rajesh Talwar is guilty. She then ordered that the Talwars would be tried for murder, criminal conspiracy and the destruction of evidence.