'What has happened to Aarushi's case?'

As the CBI remains clueless about the killers of Aarushi and her domestic help even a year after the twin murders, the Supreme Court on Tuesday sought to know the progress in the case that shocked the nation in May last year, reports Satya Prakash.

As the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) remains clueless about the killers of Aarushi and her domestic help even a year after the twin murders, the Supreme Court on Tuesday sought to know the progress in the case that shocked the nation in May last year.

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"What has happened to the case? What is the progress?" a bench headed by Justice Altamas Kabir asked during the hearing of a PIL filed by advocate Surat Singh seeking a series of directions on the issue.

Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam, who appeared for the CBI, assured the bench that a status report would be filed on the probe, as desired by the court.

Fourteen-year-old Aarushi, daughter of Dr Rajesh Talwar, was found murdered at her Noida home on May 17, 2008. A day later, the body of Talwar's domestic help Hemraj was found on the terrace.

Police had arrested her father and kept him in custody for 50 days before declaring him innocent. Singh sought a direction for setting up a five-judge "criminal justice system reforms committee" to inquire it.

The bench said its July 22, 2008 order directing the media to exercise caution and restraint in reporting or telecasting news relating to the case would continue.

It also asked the Centre to respond to the Association's argument that it had its own self-regulatory mechanism in reporting/telecasting such incidents.

Subramaniam said the Centre was keen on a "delicate balance" between media independence and right to privacy of a citizen. Besides, the Union Home Ministry, Ministry of Law and Justice, I&B Ministry, CBI, and the UP Police, the PIL has listed the Press Council of India (PCI), Aaj Tak, NDTV, Times of India, Hindustan Times, CNN-IBN as respondents before the court.