By Kanu Sarda, IANS,
New Delhi : In the media hoopla that has been generated over the murder of teenager Aarushi Talwar and her family’s domestic help, the travails of one man whose life has turned topsy-turvy have become a non-story.
Domestic help Hemraj’s son-in-law Jeevan Sharma is a totally shattered man today. He has not only lost his father-in-law but now has the added responsibility of feeding the slain man’s family – in addition to his own.
“Papa (Hemraj) had no enemies,” a sobbing Jeevean told IANS.
“He was a down to earth person and was a honest and simple man. I don’t understand why people are claiming he was close to Aarushi,” Jeevan added, while sitting in his employer’s house in suburban Noida’s Sector 29, close to the Jal Vayu Vihar neighbourhood where the twin murders were discovered May 16.
Police initially named Hemraj as the prime suspect but found themselves with egg on their faces when the domestic’s body was discovered on the terrace of the house the next day.
The Noida police arrested Aarushi’s dentist father Rajesh Talwar May 23, saying he killed his daughter in a fit of rage as he objected to her closeness to Hemraj.
Police said Talwar first killed Hemraj and then his daughter.
On Friday, police arrested Talwar’s compounder Krishna after subjecting him to a series of polygraph and narco-analysis tests.
Jeevan married Hemraj’s daughter nearly three years ago in Nepal’s Argakachi district.
“Papa used to call me every other day. On the day of incident (May 15) he called me around 5.30 in the evening. He was talking normally and wanted the phone number of one my cousins in Nepal,” Jeevan said.
He is now worried about how he will manage the responsibility of supporting two families.
“Papa was the sole bread earner of his family. Now, after his death, I will have to look after mummy (Hemraj’s wife) and his 12-year old son Parjal. I also have to support my wife and my six-month-old child whom I have not seen yet (since they live in Nepal),” Jeevan said.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) that has taken over the investigations into the crime had detained Jeevvan for seven days and grilled him about Hemraj and his past.
“The CBI took me to various places during the interrogation. I specifically told them that papa had no enemies and I don’t have any doubts about anyone,” Jeevan said.
Jeevan’s mobile phone records were also scanned but the agency found nothing amiss.
Jeevan also trashed reports that had Hemraj saying his life was under threat as he was privy to an extra-marital affair that Aarushi’s father was allegedly involved in.
“If his life was under threat, he would have left his job and would have told me. But papa did not say anything of that sort,” Jeevan maintained.
Asked about Talwars’ compounder Krishna, who has now been arrested and charged with the murders and destruction of evidence, Jeevan recalled meeting him when his brother Raju was injured in a major accident and the compounder had readily donated blood.
“Krishna was a nice and decent boy. He was very helpful when Raju got injured and gave blood for my brother. He couldn’t murder anyone,” Jeevan maintained.
His employer Samir Arora also spoke up for Hemraj.
“He was a very nice man and worked for us for nine years. I really miss his cooking now,” Arora said.
Asked about his plans, Jeevan said: “I want the culprit to be punished. After that, I hope to go and see my family in Nepal.”