On 15 December, Hemraj’s wife Kumbhkala filed an appeal in the Supreme Court (SC) against the Allahabad High Court judgment acquitting Drs Rajesh and Nupur Talwar, in the mysterious double murder of their daughter Aarushi. In an exclusive interview to The Quint, Kumbhkala demanded justice for her husband’s murder.
I have come with the hope that though the High Court has acquitted Drs Rajesh and Nupur Talwar, the Supreme Court will give us justice.Kumbhkala, Hemraj’s Wife
Hemraj worked as a domestic help at the Talwars’ residence, and was found dead a day after Aarushi was killed in May 2008. Hemraj’s family – a mother, a wife and a son – live in Nepal. Recently, Kumbhkala came to Delhi to file the appeal in the SC when a senior Supreme Court lawyer agreed to fight her case pro bono.
Wife Believes The Talwars Murdered Hemraj
The mysterious double murder case had always thrown up two main theories:
The first theory
Accused: Talwar couple are the murderers; motive: honour killing.
The second theory
Accused: Talwar’s compounder Krishna, and two domestic help, Rajkumar and Vijay Mandal; motive: attempt to rape.
Recollecting her telephonic conversation with Hemraj, Kumbhkala said her husband treated Aarushi like his own daughter.
Hemraj used to say, ‘Aarushi is like my daughter.’ [...] Aarushi addressed Hemraj as ‘Uncle’, he always said, “She is a little girl just like my daughter.”Kumbhkala, Hemraj’s Wife
She thinks the Talwars are responsible for the murder of both her husband and their daughter, through a process of elimination.
There were four people (inside the house), two were murdered and two are alive. Either all four should’ve been killed or they have been seen. Either they are the murderers, or they’ve got them murdered. Only they know the truth, no one else. Only they can tell us the motive behind the murders, we don’t know. [...] Why did they kill, had he done some mistake? Then they could’ve fired him. They shouldn’t have killed him.Kumbhkala, Hemraj’s Wife
Hemraj earned Rs 7,000 per month as domestic help at the Talwars’ residence. According to Kumbhkala, the Talwars didn’t pay her the last three months’ of his salary, and didn’t even bother to contact the family after the murders.
Hemraj was the sole breadwinner of his family. Now, it’s her brother and sister who have to give her financial support.
My brother and sister are looking after my family, they are financially supporting us. Somehow we are surviving.Kumbhkala, Hemraj’s Wife
After spending so many years waiting for justice, she said, she cannot forget the day when she saw the Talwars on TV, walking out of jail.
We got the news that they had been found innocent and acquitted. We saw them on TV when we they were released from the jail. It was also showing on TV that they had been giving medical treatment to other inmates. And that after their release, they would go back to the jail to give the inmates free medical treatment. Had they been in front of me, I would’ve killed them. But all we could do was fume silently at home.Kumbhkala, Hemraj’s Wife
The Supreme Court is the last hope for Hemraj’s family.
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