Mehrauli murder: Blood samples of victim's father, brother collected for DNA analysis

The blood samples of the father and brother of the woman, who was allegedly killed and sawed into 35 pieces by her live-in partner in Mehrauli here, have been collected for DNA matching with skeletal remains recovered till now, police said on Friday.

In a statement, police also said in view of the the "deceptive nature" of responses provided by the accused, an application for conducting his narco analysis test was made and it has been approved by the court.

Police have been directed by a Delhi court to complete the narco analysis test of Aaftab Amin Poonawala within five days.

Also Read: Mumbai doctor says Shraddha spoke to him about depression, Aftab's violence issues

Poonawala (28) allegedly strangled Shraddha Walkar and sawed her body into 35 pieces which he kept in a 300-litre fridge for weeks at his residence in Mehrauli before dumping them across the city over several days.

"To ascertain that the bones belong to the victim, the blood samples of the father and brother of 'A' (Walkar) have been collected for DNA analysis. To find out if any incriminating evidence resides in digital devices seized from the place of offence, the same has also been sent for forensic retrieval of data," the statement said.

The probe into the case of the woman, who belongs to Mumbai, is being undertaken in the "best possible professional manner", it said.

The Delhi Police was seized of the matter when, on November 9, a team of the Mumbai Police came to the Mehrauli police station and handed over documents related to the woman, the statement said.

It said that according to the inquiry then conducted by the Mumbai Police, the woman was staying with Poonawala at Chhatarpur Pahadi.

The woman's father informed that she was staying with Poonawala, a resident of West Mumbai, they were in a live-in relationship for the last three years and there was a history of repeated violence by Poonawala, it said.

Also Read: Mehrauli killing: People backed by VHP, other groups take out candle marches; demand death penalty

On this basis, a case under Indian Penal Code section 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person) was registered on November 10 at Mehrauli police station and investigation was taken up, the statement said giving details that led to the registering of the case.

During investigation, Poonawala was apprehended and interrogated. Initially, he tried to mislead interrogators by claiming that the woman had severed her relationship with him and had left their rented accommodation, it said.

Police said that during sustained interrogation and cross questioning, he confessed that he had killed Walkar.

Since May, he was living with the woman in Delhi and on May 18, had strangulated her to death. Thereafter, he cut her body into pieces and gradually, over a period of time, had disposed of the pieces, according to the statement. He was arrested on November 12

The place of offence -- the rented accommodation in Chattarpur -- has been closely inspected by the crime team and experts from Forensic Science Laboratory, Rohini, the statement said.

From the place, multiple exhibits have been seized. Following up on the disclosures, various combing operations have been carried so far out at various places, including some forest areas, from where bones have been seized, it said.

"In view of the deceptive nature of responses being provided by the accused, an application for conducting his narco analysis test was made and, after due consideration, it has been approved by the court. The same is to be conducted in due course," it stated.

Statements made by accused are being assessed upon "the crucible of admissible evidentiary value". Multiple teams are camping outstation to recreate the lives of the accused and the victim together, it said.

Similarly, multiple teams are carrying out search operations to recover the missing skeletal parts. Several inter-disciplinary teams are working round the clock for documenting, finding discrepancies and further refining the versions and the motives being put forth by the accused, the statement said.

Poonawala and Walkar met each other through an online dating app. Later, they started working for the same call centre in Mumbai and fell in love.

But their families objected to the relationship as they belong to different faiths, prompting the couple to move to Mehrauli earlier this year. Around mid-May, the couple had an argument over marriage, which escalated and Poonawala killed her.