The Delhi Police is cross-examining the statements of Aaftab Poonawala, the accused in the murder of Shraddha Walkar, as his statements have some discrepancies and he has also changed them at times.
Shraddha Walkar's murder took the country by storm. The heinousness of the crime and the accused Aaftab Poonawala’s alleged confession, in which he provides some horrific details of the murder, grabbed a lot of media attention. But the case is yet to be solved as the confession alone does not end the case.
Aaftab allegedly made a detailed confession to Delhi Police which was recorded under Section 161 of The Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). The Delhi Police now has to corroborate the statement with evidence because confession alone is not admissible in court as it can be recorded under a “duress” or a “threat”.
Moreover, Delhi Police says Aaftab has been changing statements, which made them demand a narco test — also known as the truth serum test. Though the veracity of the test has been challenged several times, the narco test has become a go-to thing for the police in cases where statements of prime suspects are inconsistent.
On 18 November, Metropolitan Magistrate Vijayshree Rathore allowed the Delhi Police to conduct the test within the next five days. Delhi Police is hoping to get something concrete out of it.
First, Delhi Police has a confession from Aaftab.
The Delhi Police also has the statement of the shopkeeper from whom Aftab had bought a knife, which police suspect was used in the murder. Though, Delhi Police has not yet recovered the knife or saw which he used for murdering Shraddha and cutting his body.
Second, on May 19, Aftab bought a new fridge —a day after the alleged murder— to keep Shraddha’s body parts. The Delhi Police has the bill and store-owner’s statement. That fridge is also to be examined.
Body parts found in the forests of Delhi and blood found in the kitchen of Shraddha and Aaftab’s home have been sent for forensic tests. If any DNA sample matches with Shradhha, it can work as a piece of major circumstantial evidence. Delhi Police said that the DNA tests will take at least 15 days.
Ten bags of body parts have so far been found from the forest where Aftab said he disposed Shraddha’s body parts. The Delhi Police has sent these parts for forensic tests.
Third, the Delhi Police has the statement of Anil Singh, the doctor who stitched up a wound on Aftab's arm. The police believe that Aftab suffered these wounds during cutting Shraddha’s body in several pieces.
Digital, financial evidence with Delhi Police
In addition, the Delhi Police has statements from Shraddha's friends and her father Vikas Walkar. The fact that Shraddha's bag was found in Aaftab's apartment and that the police were able to access her call logs and location data will assist them to prove that she moved in with Aaftab in the Chattarpur area of South Delhi.
The transaction information for the Rs. 54,000 that Aaftab took out of Shraddha's bank account is available to the police. However, further evidence is needed to prove that she was there in the home on the day of the murder.
Aaftab told police he disposed of Shraddha’s bloodstained clothes in garbage, which were collected by civic authorities. The Delhi Police is yet to find clothes both Shraddha and Aaftab wore on the day of murder.
The Delhi Police has also not found the mobile phone of Shraddha.
Currently, the Delhi Police is also examining CCTV footage. Aaftab told police that he disposed of Shraddha’s body parts over 18 days, one by one. He used to go to the forest at 2 am but no one saw him.
Aaftab and Shraddha had shifted in March this year to Delhi from Mumbai. Shraddha had a fight with her father over Aaftab’s religion, so she remained out of touch for a very long time.
Shraddha’s concerned friends asked her father to lodge a formal missing complaint. On the basis of that complaint, the Delhi Police arrested Aaftab, who has since emerged as the prime accused in her murder case.
“Aaftab strangled Shradhha to death between 09.00 pm and 10.00 pm over an argument,” says Delhi Police.
Aaftab reportedly told Delhi Police that he is addicted to marijuana and smoked that day. He also revealed that he disposed some of the body parts in Dehradun. The police are now cross-examining his statements as there are a lot of discrepancies in his statements. Many details are yet to come in the case.