Aarushi case: Court to decide on CBI closure report today

A designation Central Bureau of Investigation court in Ghaziabad will decide today on the closure report filed by the probe agency in the Aarushi Talwar-Hemraj Banjade murder case.

A designation Central Bureau of Investigation court in Ghaziabad will decide on Friday on the closure report filed by the probe agency in the Aarushi Talwar-Hemraj Banjade murder case.

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The court had on Monday taken cognisance of the 31-page report, submitted by the CBI on December 29 before a vacation bench. However, the court had directed the investigating officer additional superintendent of police AGL Kaul, to present in court the case diary, annexure and other supporting documents. The court had also pulled up the agency for submitting the closure report in alleged haste.

“The court can accept CBI’s final report which means that the case will come to a close. But, before the acceptance, the complainant has the right to be heard here,” said Satish Tamta, lawyer of Aarushi’s father Dr Rajesh Talwar. According to legal sources, the court could also order “further investigation” into the case, or reject the closure report and proceed with trial, based on the evidence available with the CBI.

“All options are available at the discretion of the court. On Friday, we will request the court to provide us the certified copies of the closure report and will also request for the copies of documents attached along with it,” Tamta said.

Aarushi and her family’s domestic help Banjade, 45, were killed on May 16, 2008 in Noida. The CBI, which took over the case from the Noida police, filed its closure report after a 30-month probe.