A couple who slit the throats of their daughter and a servant have been sentenced to life in prison by a court in India.

Irish Times reporter Rahul Bedi has spoken to The Pat Kenny Show about the 'whodunnit' case:

A judge handed the sentence to wealthy dentists Rajesh and Nupur Talwar who were earlier convicted of murdering Aarushi (14), and Nepalese servant Hemraj Banjade.

The killings happened at their home in the affluent New Delhi suburb of Noida in 2008.

Judge Shyam Lal spared the couple the death penalty, which had been sought by the prosecution after their conviction on Monday.

The sentence was the latest dramatic twist in the long-running case that has been awash with sexual rumour and charges of police bungling and media bias.

Fit of rage

Investigators allege the Talwars killed Aarushi in a fit of rage after finding her with the domestic servant (45) in an "objectionable position", suggesting the double-murder was a so-called honour killing.

The couple - successful, middle-class dentists - have vowed to appeal, insisting that they are victims of police incompetence and a media witchhunt.

Aarushi was found on her bed with her throat cut "with clinical precision" one morning in May 2008.

Police initially blamed the missing servant - only to find his decomposing body on the roof a day later with a similar cut and head wounds.

Rajesh Talwar recently told the AFP news agency: "We loved Aarushi, we have no lives without her. This has been a never-ending nightmare."

The prosecution had conceded there was no forensic or material evidence against the couple, and based its case on the "last-seen theory" - claiming the victims were last seen with the accused.

Defence lawyer Satyaketu Singh said after sentencing that "there is no evidence against them" and expressed confidence that "this judgment will be overturned."