Date:04/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/04/stories/2008060461431700.htm

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Rajesh Talwar’s custody extended

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: A Ghaziabad court on Tuesday granted the Central Bureau of Investigation two days’ police custody of Rajesh Talwar, arrested by the Noida police for his alleged involvement in the murder of his daughter Aarushi and the family’s domestic help, Hemraj, even as the agency claimed that the dentist was not cooperating in the investigations.

The CBI had sought five days’ custody from the special court, submitting that it needed to interrogate Dr. Talwar at length as he had been giving evasive replies. Also, CBI’s counsel urged the court for permission to conduct a “scientific” test on the dentist, which was opposed by the defence lawyer.

After hearing the arguments, the court granted police custody of Dr. Talwar to the CBI till June 5. The CBI then brought Dr. Talwar to its Yashwant Place office here. It is learnt that the agency queried him about his relationship with Anita Durrani, a colleague and family friend.

Earlier, Dr. Talwar was taken to his Sector 25 residence in Noida for corroboration of his disclosures on the sequence of events. The CBI team spent 90 minutes with Dr. Talwar in the house.

The agency has reportedly come across certain contradictions in the statements given by Dr. Talwar and his wife Nupur, including the dress he was wearing when he is said to have found his daughter’s body. The CBI sleuths have also come across certain anomalies in his own statements, including whether he had consumed liquor the night before Aarushi was murdered.

On Tuesday, a team of forensic experts again visited the crime scene.