The dentist couple have challenged their conviction in Aarushi-Hemraj murder

The Allahabad High Court is likely to pronounce its verdict on Thursday on an appeal filed by dentist couple, Rajesh and Nupur Talwar, challenging their conviction for the murder of their teenage daughter Aarushi and domestic help Hemraj.

Life sentence

The Talwars were convicted of the double murder and sentenced to life imprisonment by a special Central Bureau of Investigation court in Ghaziabad in November 2013. They were also convicted of destruction of evidence with common intent, while Rajesh was additionally convicted of giving false statement to police.

A Division Bench comprising Justices A.K. Mishra and B.K. Narayana had on January 11 reserved its judgment on the appeal filed by the doctor couple. However, the court decided to hear the appeals afresh due to contradictions in some submissions made by the CBI and resumed the hearing in August. The court then reserved its judgment to be pronounced on October 12.

Aarushi (14) was found dead with her throat slit in her bedroom in flat no. L-32 Jalvayu Vihar in Noida on May 16, 2008. The body of the family’s domestic help, Hemraj, who was initially suspected of her murder, was found in a pool of blood on the terrace of the flat the following day. The door of the terrace was found locked from inside.

The case was handed over to the CBI after the Noida police were criticised for shoddy probe, leading to the loss of crucial forensic evidence.