New Delhi: The process for the court-sanctioned polygraph test on Aaftab Amin Poonawala, the accused in Shraddha Walkar murder case, has been by the Rohini Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), Delhi Police sources said on Tuesday. "Pre-med sessions and scientific sessions for Aftab's polygraph test leading up to the polygraph test are underway," said FSL officials.
Earlier in the day, the police custody of Aaftab Amin Poonawala was extended by four more days by a court in Delhi. Aaftab, 28, had allegedly strangled Shraddha Walkar and sawed her body into 35 pieces earlier this year. He told the court that "what had happened had happened in the heat of the moment". Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court dismissed a petition seeking a transfer of the case from Delhi police to CBI.
Here are the latest updates in this case:
- Terming it a 'publicity interest litigation', the Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed with costs a PIL seeking directions for the Shraddha Walkar murder investigation to be transferred from Delhi Police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The court, however, did not specify the cost amount.
- A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad said it was a publicity interest litigation and not a single ground was made out. The plea alleged that the presence of media and the public in places of recovery amounts to interference with evidence. It alleged that Delhi Police had revealed every detail to the media and public persons regarding each step of its investigation and this is not permitted under the law.
- Aaftab Amin Poonawala, 28, allegedly strangled Shraddha Walkar and sawed her body into 35 pieces which he kept in a fridge for almost three weeks at his home in south Delhi's Mehrauli locality. He then dumped the body parts across the city over several days in the dead of the night.
- Police have said the couple frequently argued over financial issues. It is suspected a fight between them resulted in Poonawala killing 27-year-old Walkar on the evening of May 18.
- Meanwhile, a Delhi Court has also extended the police custody of Aaftab Poonawala to four more days. He was produced physically in a special hearing. He was produced confidentially after his five days of police custody ended on Tuesday. Metropolitan magistrate Aviral Shukla in a special hearing extended the police custody of Aaftab after hearing the submission of the investigation officer in the matter.
- The court asked Aaftab about his well-being and the use of third-degree measures by the police. Aaftab told the court that he is fine and cooperating in the investigation. He also appreciated the police and said no third-degree measures have been used. According to legal Aid Counsel, Aaftab told the court that "the victim used to provoke him and what had happened was in heat of the moment."
- The Investigation Officer (IO) submitted that the investigation was going on and accused to be taken to some places. Abinash Kumar, Aaftab's legal aid counsel on the Shraddha murder case, told that he opposed the extension of remand. During the hearing, Kumar also said that Aaftab is having difficulty recalling the incident as he is new to all these places.
- Delhi Police solved the six-month-old blind murder case and arrested Aaftab Amin Poonawalla on the basis of Shraddha's father's complaint.
Aaftab and Shraddha met on a dating site and later moved in together at a rented accommodation in Chhatarpur. Delhi police received a complaint from Shraddha's father and registered an FIR on November 10.
