#NoOneKilledAarushi: Rajesh and Nupur Talwar acquitted, murder mystery remains unsolved

The Allahabad High Court today decided that dentist couple Rajesh and Nupur Talwar did not murder their daughter Aarushi in 2008. The Talwars were sentenced to life in prison by a lower court in 2013 and had appealed against their conviction.

Here's a cheat sheet on this sensational whodunit that continues to be one of the biggest unsolved crimes of our times.
 
1. 13-year-old Aarushi was found dead in the Talwars' Noida home in May 2008.

2. Initially the domestic help, 45-year-old Hemraj was suspected for the murder but his body was recovered two days later from the terrace of the Talwar house.

3. The initial investigation by the Uttar Pradesh Police drew widespread criticism after which the investigation was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation.

4. In December 2010, the CBI had told the trial court that it had no evidence but suspected Rajesh Talwar of the double murders. The court refused to grant the CBI's plea to close the case.

5. The CBI prosecution was largely based on circumstantial evidence. It argued that there was no evidence of the house being broken into and the victims were last seen with the Talwars.

6. In 2013, the trial court convicted the dentist couple to life in prison and also found them guilty of destroying evidence. The CBI had asked for the death penalty.

7. In today's judgement, the Allahabad High Court observed that the circumstantial evidence failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the Talwars were guilty of killing their daughter.

8. The Court order also negates the last-seen theory ie. since the Talwars were the only people present in the house, the burden of proving their innocence lies with them.

9. The CBI's counsel Anurag Khanna had indicated that the investigating agency may appeal to the Supreme Court against today's verdict.

10. The Talwars are expected to be released from Dasna jail in Ghaziabad tomorrow. Aarushi's aunt Vandana Talwar said, "it’s been an exhausting journey in the last 10 years and I’m absolutely thankful to the High Court for bringing an end to the injustice that was meted our to Rajesh and Nupur."