‘Bloodstain on tile, site plan found at his house’
NEW DELHI: Investigators have recovered traces of blood from gaps between bathroom tiles in the Chhattarpur flat where Aaftab Poonawala allegedly murdered his girlfriend Shraddha Walkar, senior police officers involved in the probe said on Tuesday, adding that the samples have been sent for forensic checks to ascertain if they belong to the victim.
The police on Tuesday also told a local court that they had recovered from the flat a “rough site plan” that “may assist them” in the search for Walkar’s body parts. Officers did not reveal any other details about the site plan. According to Poonawala’s counsel Abinash Kumar, the sketch recovered is of a pond at Mehrauli forest.
His counsel on Tuesday told HT that Poonawala reportedly also informed the court that he is new to the city, and does not know much about the locations where police were taking him.
If confirmed the blood belongs to Walkar, it would present a major breakthrough in the probe.
“Experts from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) removed the tiles and retrieved the bloodstains. According to Poonawala’s disclosures, he dismembered Walkar’s body in the bathroom on May 19 and 20. If the analysis ascertains that the blood belongs to Walkar, it will be key evidence to corroborate her death and establish that she was killed in the flat itself,” said a police officer associated with the investigation, asking not to be named.
The police declined to disclose when the bloodstains were recovered from the bathroom.
HT on November 16 reported that investigators recovered bloodstains from the flat’s kitchen.
The police at the time said a “Benzidine Test” (used to detect blood in a substance) did not reveal other samples in the house.
“Poonawala disclosed that he had cleaned the house multiple times over several days using hypochlorous acid and other strong chemicals,” an expert from the Delhi FSL said at the time.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Delhi Police commissioner Sanjay Arora held a meeting with senior officers of the south district police at the office of the joint commissioner (southern range) at Hauz Khas and reviewed updates in the case.
“The charge sheet will be filed on the basis of forensic evidence. Investigators are trying to join the dots with the evidence collected so far,” said a police officer aware of the meeting.
POLICE ALSO SAID POONAWALA PLANNED TO DISPOSE OF HER BELONGINGS TO MAKE IT APPEAR SHE BROKE UP WITH HIM
Suspect planned to dump Walkar’s belongings
A Delhi Police team, which is in Maharashtra to record the statements of the couple’s friends and family, has said that after killing Walkar, Poonawala planned to dispose of her belongings to make it appear that she had broken up with him and had left with her possessions.
The team has also recorded the statements of 14 people relevant in proving Poonawala’s purportedly abusive nature. “We are recording the statements of people who can prove that Poonawala abused Shraddha physically several times before killing her,” said the officer.
An officer also said that two witnesses have claimed that Poonawala’s parents intervened whenever he assaulted Walkar, and convinced her not to file a police case against him.
The officer also said: “Poonawala’s parents are witnesses to rent agreements of the couple’s houses in Maharashtra, and were constantly in touch with the couple.”