This refers to the editorial, “Nobody killed Aarushi” (October 13). The Allahabad High Court’s judgement on the Aarushi murder case is a lesson for both, the investigators and the courts. The Noida police’s tom-toming about the ‘progress’ made in the investigation set tongues wagging. Police succumbed to intense media coverage and sensational theories floated by unknown sources. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court’s “circumstantial evidence” reasoning to convict the Talwars has been torn to shreds by the High Court, which said that concrete evidence and conclusive proof are a must to convict an accused in a murder case.
The Aarushi Talwar murder case is a story in itself, and also a warning to the police on how the best of investigative skills may be marred by a sloppy approach, insensitive comments and unnecessary character assassination. That the police should act beyond undeniable pressure is the case’s tell-tale message. Unfortunately, the case also dented the CBI’s reputation as an investigative agency par-excellence. The High Court’s judgement also serves as a warning to all trial courts to base their verdicts on facts. They should shun parochialism, passion and perception. Courts cannot act as institutes of investigations; they can only act as institutions of reasoning.