Date:14/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/14/stories/2008061459971500.htm

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CBI arrests compounder

Devesh K. Pandey

Compounder Krishna

NEW DELHI: Nearly a month after the murder of teenaged Aarushi Talwar and domestic help Hemraj, the Central Bureau of Investigation arrested her dentist-father Rajesh Talwar’s compounder Krishna on the basis of scientific tests conducted on him.

The agency, however, remained tight-lipped on the nature of his involvement in the double murder, which occurred in Dr. Talwar’s house at Noida, Uttar Pradesh, last month.

Tests at FSL

Talking to journalists here on Friday, CBI Joint Director (Special Crime) Arun Kumar said Krishna was subjected to polygraph and narco-analysis tests at the Forensic Science Laboratory, Bangalore, on June 12. “Earlier, he was subjected to polygraph tests twice at the Central Forensic Science Laboratory, Delhi, and was also put through a psychological assessment test at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences on June 9.”

But Mr. Kumar did not reveal Krishna’s role in the murders, stating the charge sheet would contain details of his complicity.

Later in the evening, CBI Director Vijay Shankar told the media that court would be informed of Krishna’s role. It is suspected he has been arrested on charges of destruction of evidence.

Krishna, who, according to his family, had been kept in illegal detention by the CBI since June 3, was flown in here from Bangalore earlier in the day.

During the narco-analysis test at the Bangalore FSL, Krishna is learnt to have told the interrogators about regular visitors to the Talwars’ residence as also his whereabouts on the night of the murders. He was also asked about the relationship between Dr. Talwar and Aarushi.

Talwar questioned

In another development, a team comprising CBI sleuths and a psychologist questioned Dr. Talwar at the Dasna jail in Ghaziabad, where he is in judicial custody.

Another CBI team questioned a Noida-based businessman, said to be close to the Talwars.

The CBI reportedly picked up a domestic help of Dr. Talwar’s colleague and family friend Anita Durrani for questioning.