Arushi murder: 38 days on, CBI adds one more to suspect list

After more than a month since taking over the murder probe, CBI has added one more serious suspect to its list: Vijay Mandal, a driver employed in Talwar neighbourhood.

A month and seven days since taking over the Noida double murder investigations, the Central Bureau of Investigation CBI has added one more serious suspect to its list: Vijay Mandal, a driver employed in the Talwar neighbourhood.

This comes after Mandal8217;s polygraph lie-detector test result showed 8220;deception8221; in his statements, CBI sources said.

Investigators initially probed the possibility of the presence of more than two persons in the Talwar residence on May 15 night, when Arushi and household help were murdered. CBI has already arrested the dentist couple8217;s compounder, Krishna, and family friend Anita Durani8217;s help Rajkumar following 8220;adverse8221; reports in their lie-detector tests.

But now, with Mandal8217;s lie-detector test report also hinting at the fact that he might be lying, investigators believe he might be hiding facts. Mandal, 24, underwent a polygraph test on June 19, three days after the probe agency picked him up after Krishna reportedly took his name during interrogation.

Mandal is still being interrogated, though CBI has not arrested him yet.

Sources said he has lied about several facts, including his presence in the Talwar house on the night of the murders, and that he changed his statement to say he did not know Krishna and Rajkumar. This, sources said, despite the investigators already having it established that he was a 8220;good friend8221; of the duo and often met them.

The investigators have already taken Mandal to the crime spot 8212; L-32, Jalvayu Vihar, Sector-25 8212; several times and he is being repeatedly questioned at the CBI headquarters on Lodhi Road.

Story continues below this ad

Mandal is employed with one Puneet Rai Tandon, a resident of the same block in Jalvayu Vihar.

Sources said the agency might disclose more new facts in the special Ghaziabad court on July 11, when the three accused 8212; Rajesh Talwar, Krishna, and Rajkumar 8212; are produced there. While Rajkumar is in CBI custody Talwar and Krishna are lodged in Dasna Jail.