Setting aside a Special CBI Court verdict, the Allahabad High Court on Thursday acquitted Noida dentist couple Dr Rajesh and Nupur Talwar in the 2008 sensational murder of their daughter Aarushi Talwar and domestic help Hemraj.
A division bench comprising Justices BK Narayana and AK Mishra had on September 7 reserved its judgement on the appeal filed by the Noida-based dentist couple.
Aarushi, who was in her teens, was found dead inside her room with her throat slit in May 2008. The needle of suspicion had initially moved towards Hemraj, who had gone missing but his body was recovered from the terrace of the house two days later.
As the Uttar Pradesh Police drew flak over shoddy investigation into the case which was making national headlines, the then BSP government handed over the probe to the CBI. The couple were awarded life sentence by a special CBI court at Ghaziabad on November 26, 2013.
Following is the chronology of the sensational 2008 Aarushi murder case:
May 16, 2008: Aarushi Talwar, the daughter of dentist couple Rajesh and Nupur Talwar, found dead with her throat slit in the bedroom of her Noida home.
May 17: Body of Hemraj, the Talwars' domestic help, found on the terrace.
May 18: Police say murders done with surgical precision,insider job suspected.
May 19: Talwar couple's former Nepalese domestic help Vishnu Sharma named suspect.
May 21: Delhi Police joins murder probe.
May 22: Family under suspicion, honour killing angle probed, the police quiz Aarushi's close friend whom she spoke to 688 times in the 45 days preceding her murder.
May 23: Aarushi's father Rajesh arrested for double murder.
May 29: Notification issued to hand over the case from UP Police to CBI.
May 31: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) takes over case.
June 13: Krishna, Rajesh's compounder, arrested by the CBI. Ten days later, Raj Kumar, the servant of a doctor friend of the Talwars, and Vijay Mandal, the domestic help of Talwars' neighbour, also nabbed.
June 20: Lie detection test of Rajesh Talwar conducted at CFSL, Delhi.
June 25: Second lie detection test conducted on Nupur Talwar. Her first lie detection test was found inconclusive.
June 26: CBI declares the case to be a blind case. Rajesh Talwar refused bail by the special magistrate in Ghaziabad.
July 3: Supreme Court rejects a PIL which challenged the administration of narco-analysis test on the accused in the case.
July 12: Rajesh set free by court after CBI fails to present evidence against him. He moved out of Dasna Jail in Ghaziabad.
Jan 5, 2010: CBI moves court to conduct narco test on Talwar couple.
Feb 8-12: Narco-analysis tests on Nupur Talwar was done on CBI's plea.
Feb 15-20: Narco-analysis tests on Rajesh Talwar was done on CBI's plea.
Dec 29, 2010: The CBI files closure report, stating Rajesh is the main suspect but there is not enough evidence against him. Clean chit given to servants
Jan 25, 2011: Rajesh Talwar attacked in court premises.
Feb 9: Trial court rejects CBI's closure report and summons Talwar couple as accused to face charges of murder and destruction of evidence. The court also issues bailable warrants against the couple for not being present in court.
Feb 21: Couple approaches Allahabad High Court for quashing trial court summons.
Mar 18: HC dismisses their plea to quash summons and orders initiation of proceedings against them.
Mar 19: The couple approaches the Supreme court which stayed the trial against them.
Jan 6, 2012: The apex court dismisses Talwar's plea and allows the trial against them.
March 2012: The CBI argues in court for cancellation of Rajesh's bail.
April, 2012: Nupur Talwar arrested.
May, 2012: Rajesh and Nupur charged by Ghaziabad court with murder, destruction of evidence and conspiracy.
September, 2012: Nupur Talwar released on bail.
April 2013: CBI officer tells court that Aarushi, Hemraj were killed by the Talwars. CBI also tells court that Aarushi and Hemraj were found in objectionable position.
May 3: Defence counsel pleads before a special court to summon 14 people, including former CBI joint director Arun Kumar as witness. CBI opposes the plea.
May 6: Trial court dismisses Talwar's petition for summoning 14 witnesse. It orders recording of statements of Rajesh and Nupur.
May 13: Supreme Court refuses to entertain the Talwars' petition.
October 10: Final arguments begin.
Oct 18: CBI closes arguments, says Talwars misled investigators.
Nov 12: Court reserves verdict in the case for November 25.
Nov 25: Talwar couple held guilty by CBI court.
Nov 26: Talwar couple sentenced to life imprisonment, sent to Dasna jail.
Oct 2015: After the release of a Bollywood movie based on the murder, 'Talvar', the officer who led the initial CBI investigation, Arun Kumar, said he believes Rajesh and Nupur Talwar were innocent.
Aug 2016: Nupur Talwar granted parole for three weeks to visit her mother in Noida.
Jan 2017: The Allahabad HC reserves its verdict in a criminal appeal filed by Talwar couple challenging their conviction and imprisonment.
Sept 7, 2017: A division bench of the Allahabad HC comprising justices BK Narayana and AK Mishra reserved its judgement on September 7 on the appeal filed by the dentist couple, fixing October 12 as the date for the verdict.
Oct 12, 2017: The Allahabad High Court is all set to deliver its verdict.
