‘We used to live for Arushi… nobody understands our pain’

“It is challengeable. It is an unfortunate order,but a judicial order. I bow to the order. Whatever remedies are available to us,we will challenge the order in a superior court. We will decide in two days as to which court to approach,” lawyer Rebecca John told mediapersons outside the Talwars’ home at Azad Apartments in South Delhi.

“Do you realise what pain the couple is going through? They have lost everything. It is a very tragic moment for the family. This is shattering news to us,” she said.

Hours after the court ruling,John appeared outside the Azad Apartments to speak to mediapersons. Vandana Talwar,Arushi’s aunt,spoke for the family: “As a family,we are shattered. There are no words to describe. Why is this happening to us? Why is the nation maligning us?”

The Talwars,all the while,stayed in their apartment refusing to let anybody in. Security guards at the apartment had been instructed by the Talwars not to allow anyone inside.

When Newsline managed to reach the Talwars,they were surrounded by family members. Dinesh Talwar,his wife Vandana and Nupur’s parents were among those present.

His face bandaged after he was attacked last month, Rajesh Talwar sat on the sofa in his living room. “We had hopes that justice would come our way. Despite doing all I could do to help the agencies,this is what they do to us,” he said.

“It is a sad day for us,for the country. I do not have words,” wife Nupur added.

Huge pictures of Arushi adorn the walls of the house and the silence was broken only when Rajesh and Nupur spoke. “These pictures do not let us forget our Aaru,” said Nupur. “We used to live for her. Nobody understands the pain that we have gone through. And now we are alone here. We are horrified and shocked.”

The couple have set up a separate room for Arushi in the apartment. Her picture frames are kept on the shelf and soft toys are on the bed. “All this while,it is us who have been (trying to) prove ourselves innocent,while the killers are walking free. What if another Arushi case happens? Who is responsible for that? Will CBI take responsibility for that?” Nupur said.

“I want people to read the closure report and see for themselves the discrepancies in it. Everybody should read it,” she added.

Nupur’s mother Lata Chitnis said her daughter had forgotten to smile. “She had a Binaca smile,now she only cries,” she said.

Dinesh Talwar,Rajesh’s brother,said: “Why did the CBI not conduct the touch DNA test? They alleged that (the family) dressed up the scene,but actually the CBI dressed up its incompetence.”