A senior police officer and a crucial witness in Aarushi-Hemraj murder case on Thursday deposed before a special CBI court here that he faced pressure to suppress the rape angle in the post-mortem of the teenager.
Former Noida superintendent of police K.K. Gautam, during chief examination, told the court that chairman of Noida Eye Hospital Sushil Chaudhry, a friend of slain teenager Aarushi’s uncle Dinesh Talwar, had called him and requested him to hide the rape angle in the post-mortem. However, he said that he refused to oblige Dinesh Talwar, the elder brother of Aarushi’s father and accused Rajesh Talwar.
“But I said I cannot help in this matter,” Mr Gautam told the court.
Mr Gautam also told the trial court that he was asked to ensure expeditious post-mortem.
Mr Gautam is the first crucial witness out of the 13 who have been directed to depose before September 17. He said Chaudhry also called him on May 17, 2008 morning to accompany him to the condolence meeting for Aarushi. They both went there and attended the condolence meeting, where Chaudhry introduced him to Dinesh, Mr Gautam said.
The witness identified Dinesh in the court on Thursday.
“I also asked Dinesh to show me the crime spot. He took me to the rooms of Aarushi and Hemraj and near the staircase which led to the roof where he showed me the blood stains on the staircase and railing,” Mr Gautam said in his deposition. The witness further stated in his chief examination that Dinesh also requested him to get the lock at the staircase opened. “Then I called superintendent of police (city) Mahesh Mishra and informed him that there are some blood stains and the lock need to be opened,” he said. “The SO reached the spot and asked for the key, but Dinesh said he did not have it. The SO then broke open the lock and reached the roof where they found blood on the roof and a body was dragged from there to a corner,” he said.