Hours after dentist couple Drs. Rajesh and Nupur Talwar were declared guilty for the murder of their teen daughter Aarushi, her friend Fiza Jha, described the verdict as disappointing on Monday.
"This has gone from bad to worse. It will be tragic if the parents don't get justice in the higher courts," she said.
"I am deeply disappointed. I know the public opinion about this, but has anyone thought what if they are innocent?" she asked.
A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court had earlier declared the Talwars guilty for the murder of their teenaged daughter Aarushi and their domestic help Hemraj at their home on the intervening night of May 16-17, 2008.
They were declared guilty of the crime under Sections 302 (Punishment for Death), 201 (Causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender), 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Section 203 (Giving false information respecting an offence committed) was also imposed on Rajesh Talwar, said defence counsel Naresh Yadav.
The court will announce the quantum of punishment on Tuesday. Both of them have been taken into judicial custody. Their lawyers have said they will appeal against the verdict in a higher court.
The apex court had earlier rejected a plea by Rajesh and Nupur Talwar to summon 14 witnesses, including former CBI official Arun Kumar, to give their depositions in the murder trial of Aarushi and Hemraj.
The Talwars had then filed their plea challenging the special CBI court's rejection of their plea for calling witnesses, including the ADG (Law and Order) and then CBI Joint Director Arun Kumar, to record their statements in the Allahabad High Court.
The Allahabad High Court had earlier also rejected the plea filed by the Talwars.
A CBI trial court in Ghaziabad has charged Talwars under Sections 302/34 (murder with common intention) and 201 (destruction of evidence with common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
In addition to these, the court charged Dr. Rajesh Talwar under Section 203 (giving false information in respect of an offence committed) of the IPC.
Aarushi, 14, was found dead with her throat slit at her Noida residence on May 16, 2008 and the body of her domestic help Hemraj was recovered from the terrace a day later.
