SC clears trial of Talwars

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In an unexpected turn of events for Delhi dentist couple Rajesh and Nupur Talwar, the Supreme Court on Friday gave its go-ahead to the special CBI court at Ghaziabad to put the duo on trial for the mysterious murder of their daughter Aarushi and domestic help Hem Raj at their residence in May 2008.

The order came as a major setback to the Talwars, who, in fact, had approached the top court for overturning the Allahabad high court’s March 18, 2011 verdict approving the special judge’s order issuing process for their trial despite the CBI seeking to close the case.

Dismissing their appeal, a bench of Justices A.K. Ganguly and J.S. Khehar said, “We come to the conclusion that there has been a proper application of mind by the courts below... we are of the view that we should not interfere in the concurrent orders of the HC and the trial court.”

The top court said the trial judge after analysing the CBI’s closure report, fhad given his views in an order that a "prima facie" case was made out for issuing process to initiate trial against Aarushi’s parents.

The apex court told the Talwars’ counsel, Mr Ranjit Kumar, that once cognisance had been taken by the trial judge in a case like this irrespective of the contrary views of the prosecution, there was little scope for intervention.