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Probe agency looking beyond usual suspects
The Central Bureau of Investigation’s reconstituted team probing the Aarushi Talwar and Hemraj Banjade murder case is looking at possible suspects other than the two main accused medical assistant Krishna Thadarai and Raj Kumar, reports Abhishek Sharan.
The Central Bureau of Investigation’s reconstituted team probing the Aarushi Talwar and Hemraj Banjade murder case is looking at possible suspects other than the two main accused medical assistant Krishna Thadarai and Raj Kumar.
A senior CBI investigator, who didn't wish to be quoted, told HT, “We are investigating all possible angles including a chance that the murders were not committed by the accused persons (Raj Kumar and Thadarai).”
The officer said the agency was proceeding with an “open mind” and not considering it an open and shut case based on the alleged narco revelations by Raj Kumar and Thadarai. The two accused reportedly ‘confessed’ to the killings.
“We are looking at suspects who could have had the motive and resources to carry out the killings, including obviously Raj Kumar and Krishna,” said the officer.
Aarushi Talwar and her family's domestic help Banjade were killed on May 16 last year at the Talwar residence in Noida Sector 25.
The CBI had arrested Raj Kumar and Thadarai last year on June 27 and June 13, respectively. Another accused, Vijay Mandal, who allegedly witnessed the murders, was arrested by the agency in July last year.
In September last year, days after the CBI had missed the deadline to submit its charge sheet against the three (due to lack of direct material and corroborative evidence), a local court had granted them bail.
The agency has however failed to recover the crime’s weapons (a knife and a blunt object) and Banjade’s missing Tata Indicom mobile phone till now.
Two fingerprints and a shoe-print (bloodied) recovered from the scene of the crime have not matched with the case's accused till now.
Twice this year the CBI had called in Raj Kumar, who is out on bail, from Nepal to Noida did not interrogate him afresh.
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