Food samples from complainant’s residence to be tested for thallium

MUMBAI: Samples of food items such as salt, red chilli powder, turmeric and coffee powder from the residence of Zeenia Khajotia – the complainant in the Colaba food poisoning case – have been sent to Forensic Science Laboratory in Kalina. On Sunday, Riyazul-haq Mandal, 33, the cook employed by the family, was arrested for allegedly trying to poison them after preliminary investigations revealed traces of the chemical in their blood.

Khajotia, who stayed with her brother in Singapore, had returned to India in July. On August 11, when h er daughter Tahmine was visiting from New York, the cook served them breakfast. While Khajotia did not show an immediate reaction, Tahmine felt nauseous and started vomiting, said police.

Tahmine then sent their blood samples for testing to Tata Hospital and Kasturba Hospital. On August 21, reports confirmed the presence of thallium. A case was registered on August 31.

Officers said Mandal had been employed as domestic help at the age of 15 by Khajotia’s mother Shirin, who passed away in 2005. “We are looking into Shiri’s death to investigate if she was being fed thallium,” said an officer. “We are searching Mandal’s relative’s house in Malad, where he used to stay sometimes.”

Cops are also looking into a cybercrime case filed by Khajotia against a Colaba resident in 2010. “We are going through the call data records of the accused in the 2010 case to see if they had contacted Mandal,” the officer said.

A PRELIMINARY BLOOD TEST FOUND TRACES OF THE CHEMICAL, USED IN RAT POISION