DNA Tests Confirm Recovered Hair, Bones To Be Of Shraddha Walkar, All We Know So Far Of The Probe

The DNA tests have confirmed that hair and bone samples recovered by Delhi Police were of Shraddha Walkar.

Shraddha, 26, was allegedly murdered by her live-in partner Aaftab Poonawalla in May in their house in Delhi's Mehrauli. After he killed her, Aaftab allegedly cut Shraddha's body in 35 pieces and disposed them in Delhi's forests in batches. In the meantime, he allegedly stored the pieces in their fridge.

Since the beginning of the investigation, Delhi Police has found several body parts that have turned out to be of Shraddha following DNA testing.

Earlier in December, DNA extracted from bone pieces recovered in the Mehrauli forest area by the Delhi Police in connection were found to be of Shraddha.

What has latest DNA testing shown

Delhi Police's Special Commissioner (Law and Order) Sagar Preet Hooda said the bone and hair samples from which DNA could not be extracted were sent to the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), Hyderabad for 'DNA Mitochondrial profiling'.

He said, "On Wednesday, we received the result of the examination. One piece of bone and bunch of hair purported to be of deceased have matched with that of her father and brother which establishes the identity of the bone and hair to be that of Shradha Walkar."

Hooda added the bones will now be sent for autopsy which will be conducted by a medical board at the AIIMS.

What we know of Shraddha Walker murder case

Aaftab Poonawalla allegedly murdered Shraddha Walkar on May 18 by stragling her. Following that, he allegedly chopped her body in 35 pieces.

Aaftab allegedly stored the 35 parts in a 300-liter-fridge for over 20 days as he disposed off bits and pieces of her corpse.

Delhi Police arrested Aaftab on November 12. Since then, he has undergone narco and polygraph tests.

In the polygraph test, Aaftab showed no remorse, according to NDTV. Reports further said he admitted to killing Shraddha and chopping her body and disposing off the many body parts in the test.

In the narco test, Aaftab said he killed Shraddha in a fit of rage, as per NDTV.

Aaftab was arrested on November 12 after Shraddha's father approched the police after many months went without any contact with her.

Delhi Police probe across states

The investigation is not just limited to Delhi but has also covered Maharashtra, Haryana's Gurgaon, and Himachal Pradesh.

Shraddha and Aaftab were natives of Vasai in Maharashtra's Palghar. They met each other in 2019 on online dating platform Bumble. As Shraddha's family was opposed to the inter-faith relationship, the two first moved to Mumbai and then to Delhi, as per reports.

The Delhi Police has also carried out investigations in Palghar where Shraddha first raised complaints of abuse by Aaftab.

In Maharashtra, the Delhi Police recorded statements of four persons. Of these four persons, two were men from whom Shraddha had sought assistance after she was assaulted by Aaftab in 2020, said officials earlier. The third was a former manager of the call centre in Mumbai where Shraddha worked and the fourth was a female friend of hers.

Earlier, an official said the two male witnesses whose statements were recorded are identified as Rahul Ray and Godwin. Both of them are residents of Vasai region one of them is a rickshaw driver and the other is currently unemployed. Shraddha had sought their assistance in 2020 after she was beaten up by Aaftab near Vasai and the duo had helped her at the time.

SIT probe into Shraddha's complaint in Palghar

During the murder investigation, it emerged that Shraddha had filed a police complaint in Palghar in 2020 after Aaftab allegedly assaulted her.

In her complaint at Tulinj Police Station in Palghar, Shraddha said Aaftab had beaten her and had threatened to kill her. The assults had been going on for six months at the time, as per a report citing the complaint.

The Maharashtra government has tasked a special investigation team (SIT) with investigation the "inaction" in Shraddha's 2020 complaint.

However, the Maharashtra Police said the case in 2020 was closed after Shraddha withdrew her complaint at the time.

DCP Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar Suhas Bavache said that Shraddha in her written statement had stated that "the dispute between herself and Aaftab Poonawala was resolved", according to ANI.

"Whatever necessary action had to be taken in that matter was done by police at that time. The application that was given by the complainant was also investigated. After the investigation, the complainant herself gave a written statement that there is no dispute. Her friend's parents also cajoled her to resolve the dispute. She gave the written statement and after that the case was closed," said Bawche, as per ANI.

(With PTI inputs)