‘Arushi handset has no data but is vital proof’; sent to lab for forensic tests

A senior official said some data might be recovered if no modifications were made in the handset. “It is an important piece of evidence and might lead to the location of the killers,” the official said.

Meanwhile,CBI has taken Ram Bhool,from whom Arushi’s cellphone was recovered,and his sister Kusum,into custody and is questioning them. But sources said they seem to have had no role in last year’s murder of the teenager and family help Hemraj in Talwars’ flat in Jalvayu Vihar,Noida.

“Kusum and her relatives do not seem to have had any mala fide intention in keeping the phone,” a source said. “We suspect they were not even aware that the phone belonged to Arushi,or that a reward had been announced for it.”

Kusum’s husband Vyas and her son Sonu are also being questioned to get more details about the phone.

The Crime Branch had on Monday said Arushi’s handset (Nokia N 72 model) was found from Ram Bhool on Saturday. Bhool is a Class IV employee of Punjab National Bank in Dussehra village,Bulandshar. He had got the handset from Kusum,who then worked as a sweeper in Jalvayu Vihar. She now works at a private school in Sadarpur village,Noida,Sector-37.

Ram Bhool’s wife Mala confirmed from Bulandshahar today that her husband got the phone from his sister: “But he did not use it much and we don’t know about the phone’s owner.”

‘Wanted to sell set’
Though Ram Bhool got it last May,he did not use it till this February,sources said. That month,sources added,he bought a new SIM (09639029306) and began using the handset off and on.

And that,officials say,led the police to his doorstep.

Incidentally,Bhool was planning to sell the handset to another man in his village for Rs 2,000,sources said. The Crime Branch officials,in fact,found the phone with this man,one Jitender,who told the police he was yet to pay the amount.

Tracking the phone
Crime Branch officials said the handset,once traced to Bulandshahr,was tracked to Ram Bhool through his nephew Anil,a Delhi University student who stays with his father in Sangam Vihar,Southeast Delhi. Anil today told Newsline,“Two officers (from Delhi Police’s Special Operation Squad) came to our house on Friday and asked about my uncle.”

The youth told them where Ram Bhool lives and said he spoke to him off and on the number: 09639029306. “I went with them to my uncle’s house on Saturday.”

Anil claimed he did not know anything about the case — he was reportedly told that it was a case of harassment complaint made by a woman against the youth. “I learnt about the phone belonged to Arushi Talwar from the news last night,” he said.

Anil and his father were released on Sunday,soon after Ram Bhool was brought to Delhi.

Officials said CBI will now match cell location of this handset between May 15 and May 18 with that of prime suspects Krishna and Rajkumar’s location during that period.

While the probe agency did not want to comment on the issue — CBI spokesperson Harsh Bhal said,“Investigations are on; we cannot say anything since the matter is in the Supreme Court” — sources said the new CBI team plans to call Rajkumar,Krishna and Vijay Mandal for questioning again and to verify the handset belonged to Arushi.

Rajkumar is in Nepal,Mandal in Jharkhand while Krishna is in Noida at present.

Rajkumar’s lawyer Naresh Yadav said,“The CBI has not approached me yet but if they want,Rajkumar is ready to come here from Nepal.”