An affluent Indian couple on Thursday won their appeal against life jail term for the murder of their daughter and a servant in the latest sensational twist of case that divided the nation and inspired a film and a book.
The Allahabad High Court acquitted dentists Rajesh and Nupur Talwar after ruling there was insufficient proof that they slit the throats of 14-year-old daughter Aarushi and their Nepalese servant Hemraj Banjade in May 2008.
The couple were not in the packed court for the hearing. They are in jail near New Delhi. Media reports said Rajesh Talwar hugged jail officials after hearing the verdict.
Tanveer Mir, a lawyer for the Talwars, told reporters outside the Allahabad court that the couple would be freed on Friday.
“The High Court observed that they have been punished wrongly. They are not guilty,” he said. “They were only present at home that night as parents and were punished. It was entirely wrong and an injustice against my clients ... The court observed that the case against the Talwars was baseless. The evidence was weak.”