The gruesome twin murders of teenaged Aarushi Talwar and her family's domestic help, the officer investigating the case has been changed for the third time.
NOIDA: Indicative of the ham-handed manner in which the Uttar Pradesh police are investigating the gruesome twin murders of teenaged Aarushi Talwar and her family's domestic help, the officer investigating the case has been changed for the third time.
Data Ram Nanoria, who headed the Sector 20 police station, was appointed the investigation officer (IO) when Aarushi's body was discovered in her Jal Vayu Vihar home here May 16. He was transferred out of the city two days later and Gajendra Singh of the Special Operations Group was named to head the investigations.
Just a day later, May 19, Anil Samania, who was in-charge of the Sector 39 police station, was made the IO. On May 24, Jagvir Malik, who headed the Sector 20 police station, was appointed the IO.
Thus, four different officers have probed the case over a nine-day period.
"Jagvir Malik has now been asked to investigate the case. Anil Samania has gone on medical leave," Superintendent of Police (City) AK Tripathi said.
The Noida police have been widely criticised for the way they handled the case, and senior police officers were slammed for making statements amounting to Aarushi's character assassination.
All this found a reference in a local court here on Wednesday when Abhijeet Chatterjee, lawyer for dentist Rajesh Talwar who is accused of murdering his daughter and servant Hemraj, sought the court's contempt notice to the Noida police for not allowing him to accompany his client when Talwar was sent to police custody.
While ordering that Talwar be sent to police custody for three days, the court said Tuesday a lawyer should be present with the accused during his questioning.
Chatterjee alleged he was not allowed to accompany Talwar. He claimed he had to wait at the Sector 20 police station for the police team that took Talwar to an unknown destination.
"Neither were the police officers, who took my client, picking up their phones nor were the officials at the station telling us their whereabouts," Chatterjee said.
"I had no option but to approach the court for help. So, now I have filed a writ petition in the court," he added.
Senior Prosecution Officer P.C. Srivastava said: "The court will take up the issue of contempt Friday."
Talwar was arrested May 23 for the twin murders at his Noida residence and initially remanded to 14 days' judicial custody.
On Tuesday, Aarushi's family demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the murders.
Addressing a crowded press conference in an open ground near Aarushi's apartment, lawyer Pinaki Mishra said: "The police have not done the job that was expected of them and that is why we are demanding a CBI probe."
"Please help us get an impartial enquiry," added Talwar's brother Dinesh, who was also present at the press conference.
"There have been grave shortcomings in the investigations, and to cover up Talwar is being made a shocking scapegoat," Mishra maintained.
"Talwar is being made a scapegoat to prevent more egg on the face of the Noida police," he added.
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