Poonawala undergoes polygraph test again
NEW DELHI: Officials at Delhi’s Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) on Thursday conducted the second session of a polygraph test on Aaftab Poonawala, accused of murdering his girlfriend Shraddha Walkar in May and chopping up her body into at least 35 pieces before dumping the body parts in forested areas in and around the Capital.
On Thursday, Delhi Police officers took Poonawala, 28, to the FSL offices in Rohini at around 11.50am to conduct the polygraph test.
Following the polygraph test, doctors are set to conduct a narco-analysis test on Poonawala at a city hospital. The narco-analysis and polygraph tests are inadmissible in court. However, through these tests, police hope to verify if Poonawala has been honest about his version of the murder.
NEW DELHI: Delhi Police officers on Thursday recorded Aaftab Poonawala’s father’s statement, said investigators aware of the matter, even as forensic experts in the city said the suspect’s second polygraph test session was cut short after he fell ill for a second straight day.
Poonawala is accused of murdering his girlfriend Shraddha Walkar this May, chopping up her body and dumping the body parts in woods in and around Delhi.
According to a police officer probing the case, Poonawala’s father, Amin, was questioned in Delhi on Thursday in connection with the case, his son’s behaviour, and his relationship with Walkar.
“According to the father, Poonawala used to live independently and was aloof. He wouldn’t keep in touch a lot and talk a lot with the family,” the officer said.
In November 2020, Walkar filed a complaint at the Tullinj police station in Palghar, Maharashtra, stating that Poonawala threatened to kill her and cut up her body, according to a copy of the complaint seen by HT.
Maharashtra Police officers said no first information report was filed because Walkar backed away after Poonawala’s parents spoke to her.
A social worker assigned to the case corroborated this.
On Thursday, Delhi Police officers took Poonawala, 28, to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Rohini around 11.50am for the polygraph test. The procedure was initiated on Tuesday. Following the polygraph test, doctors are set to conduct a narco-analysis test on Poonawala at a city hospital.
FSL assistant director Sanjeev Gupta said, “The test went on for hours. He developed fever during the session and it could not be completed. He may be called again on Friday if he feels alright.”
On Wednesday too, the session could not be conducted as the 28-year-old was down with a fever and cold, officials aware of the matter said.
FSL director Deepa Verma said if the subject falls sick, they start sweating and their blood pressure is impacted. “The parameters on which the test is conducted requires the subject to be healthy for an accurate result,” she said.
The narco analysis and polygraph tests are inadmissible in court. However, through these tests, police hope to verify if Poonawala has been honest about his version of the murder.
Police also hope to find out about the spots where Poonawala dumped Walkar’s remains and the weapon he used to dismember her body.
The gruesome crime was unearthed last week. Poonawala reportedly told the police that he allegedly murdered Walkar, 27, at their Chhattarpur flat this May, chopped her body into at least 35 pieces and dumped the body parts in south Delhi, Gurugram and Faridabad.
But other than his confession and circumstantial clues, police have not made any major piece of evidence public.
Police say Poonawala confessed to the crime but their contention is not admissible in court unless backed by hard proof.