Aarushi murder: Destruction of crime scene was major lacuna in investigation, says former CBI Director

New Delhi [India], October 13 (ANI): After the Allahabad High Court on Thursday acquitted the Talwar couple in the murder trial of their daughter Aarushi, former CBI director AP Singh said that major lacuna in the entire investigation was that the destruction of crime scene on the first day.

On being asked whether there was lack of investigation from Noida Police, Singh said, "The only weakness we found was that scene of crime was badly tampered on the first day itself."

"As a result, after that we got nothing of value from the scene of crime. That was the major lacuna in the entire investigation," Singh said, who headed the CBI for a key part of the Aarushi muder case investigation.

AP Singh was director of the CBI for two years starting 2010.

Speaking to ANI about the decision declared today, Singh said, "Court has only said what I had said in the beginning. They said it is benefit of doubt, and we said due to insufficient evidence."

"It is not really a clean chit because it says benefit of doubt and not that they are innocent," he added.

Talking about the time when he headed the CBI during the case, Singh said, "The investigation was already completed; I had to take a decision on the investigation that whether we charge sheet the Talwars or we close the investigation. The evidence on record made me feel that it was insufficient to charge sheet the Talwars but the investigating team was convinced that they are involved in the crime. So we put all the evidence together and produced it in the court and said that we do not have sufficient evidence to prosecute them."

The Allahabad High court on Thursday allowed the appeals filed by Dr. Nupur Talwar and Dr. Rajesh Talwar in the murder case of their daughter Aarushi Talwar and domestic help Hemraj and has set aside the sentence of life imprisonment award by CBI court at Ghaziabad.

The judgement has been passed by a two judges bench comprises justice B K Narayan and justice Arvind Kumar Mishra-1.

Allowing the appeals the court was of the view that as per circumstances and evidence on record they cannot be held guilty.

It is to recall that CBI court at Ghaziabad had convicted the two accused Aarushi's parents Rajesh Talwar and Nupur Talwar for double murder and had sentenced them rigorous imprisonment for life.

The judgement of the CBI court dated November 26, 2013 was challenged by Nupur Talwar and Rajesh Talwar by filing separate appeals. (ANI)