Talwar family shaken by the attack: Lawyer

NEW DELHI - The Talwar family is extremely shaken after the attack on Rajesh Talwar, the father of murdered teenager Aarushi, by a man outside a Ghaziabad court Tuesday. A seriously injured Talwar was rushed to Apollo Hospital, their lawyer said.

The family’s lawyer Rebecca John, who was accompanying the Talwar couple, also expressed concern over the poor security at the special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Ghaziabad.

“We appeared before the court around 10.30 a.m. and the CBI sought two hours’ time. He (Rajesh Talwar) came down with the local lawyer to get some affidavit attested. We then heard the lawyer shouting that he has been attacked,” said John.

The Talwar family is in “shock” after the incident.

Talwar was seriously injured after Utsav Sharma attacked him with a cleaver outside the court.

The attack took place as Talwar was walking out of the court after filing a protest petition against the CBI’s closure report on the case.

Lashing out at the poor security in the court, John said: “It is unfortunate that it happened in the court premises, which is seen as the temple of justice. Something needs to be done when people start taking law into their hands.”

“There was no security in the court and he was attacked in the full view of media and lawyers. I don’t understand why people are allowed to carry weapons in the court and authorities are not able to protect citizens of the country,” she said.

The court has adjourned the hearing to Feb 8. It has also ordered in-camera proceedings of the case.

Aarushi, 14, was found murdered under mysterious circumstances in her parents’ Jalvayu Vihar apartment in Noida, May 16, 2008. Their domestic help Hemraj was initially suspected for the killing, but his body was found on the flat’s terrace a day later.

Rajesh Talwar was arrested soon after the murders but let off when investigators could not find evidence to nail him. The CBI in its closure report has named Rajesh Talwar as the main suspect.