CBI gets court nod for Aarushi parents’ narco tests (Fourth Lead)

GHAZIABAD - A local court Tuesday allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct narco tests on Rajesh and Nupur Talwar, parents of teenager Aarushi Talwar who was found murdered in their house in 2008, after it found “no reason for not granting the permission”.

“After looking at CBI’s plea, we do not see any reason for not granting the permission to conduct the narco tests on Rajesh and Nupur Talwar,” the court order read.

The court noted that it deemed appropriate to grant permission under the current circumstances.

The court, however, directed the CBI to conduct medical examinations to ensure that both Rajesh and Nupur Talwar were fit for being subjected to the narco tests.

“The Talwars also have sent their consent to the CBI through e-mail. However, the CBI is directed to conduct medical examinations of Rajesh and Nupur Talwar before conducting the narco tests in view of the illness of Rajesh Talwar,” the court order added.

The CBI can now get the narco tests conducted on Rajesh and Nupur at Gandhinagar Forensics Lab in Gujarat.

The court earlier Monday reserved its order on the CBI’s plea for Talwars’ narco tests.

CBI counsel Suresh Batra in an application before Judicial Magistrate (CBI) Priti Singh sought that the bureau be allowed to conduct narco tests on Aarushi’s parents.

He told the court that after a new CBI team was formed to probe the case, certain “new substantial facts” have surfaced. Therefore, the narco test of the Talwars would be helpful in taking the probe forward.

Though Satish Tamta, counsel of Rajesh and Nupur Talwar, opposed the CBI plea in court, Rajesh Talwar had told IANS the day before: “We are ready for any tests… We are OK with it”.

Aarushi Talwar was found with her throat slit and several stab wounds to her face on May 16, 2008 in her parents’ house at Jalvayu Vihar in Noida, adjacent to national capital Delhi. Her dentist father Rajesh Talwar was arrested and charged with the murder of Aarushi and their domestic servant Hemraj, whose body was found the next day.

Rajesh Talwar was released when the CBI failed to file a charge sheet against him within the legally stipulated period. Then a fresh probe was ordered.