Shraddha Walkar murder investigation 80% complete: Delhi Police counsel

The investigation into the murder of Shraddha Walkar – allegedly by her boyfriend Aaftab Poonawala – is 80 per cent complete, advocate Sanjay Lao told the Delhi High Court Tuesday.

Arguing against a petition seeking transfer of the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation, Delhi Police’s standing counsel (criminal) Lao said the petitioner could not dictate such terms.

The court indicated its agreement with Lao and dismissed the petition – calling it a ‘publicity interest litigation’ and imposing costs on the petitioner.

The court also pointed out that it could not function as ‘a monitoring agency (to) look into the probe carried out by the police’.

Lao’s submission to the court on the progress of the investigation comes as Delhi Police make steady progress in building a case against the accused, who this morning told a lower court his actions were ‘in the heat of the moment’.

Poonawala’s lawyer also argued his client – who will face two lie detector tests – a polygraph and a narco analysis – had ‘fully co-operated’ with police, who have been given four days additional custody while they track down more evidence.

The polygraph – preparations for which have begun – may be conducted today, sources within the city’s Forensic Science Laboratory told news agency ANI.

The narco test – administering a chemical to lower a subject’s inhibition – can only be conducted after the polygraph, an official told news agency PTI.

Police had sought the tests arguing that Poonawala had given misleading answers during interrogation – a claim countered by the accused’s lawyer.

The court on Thursday directed police to complete the narco test within five days while warning against the use of third-degree measure on the accused.

Meanwhile, sources told PTI Monday that police had recovered a human jaw during the extensive hunt for Shraddha Walkar’s remains and approached a city dentist in a bid to ascertain whether it was the 27-year-old murder victim.

Police have recovered over a dozen body parts suspected to be that of Walkar and have sent these for forensic analysis as well as DNA testing.

Attempts to drain a pond in Chhatarpur – near the apartment rented by Poonawala and Walkar and into which the accused allegedly threw more pieces of her body – have run into problems due to the sheer size of the water body.

Teams were deployed Sunday to pump out the water but that exercise was stopped Monday because the water was flooding nearby areas. One option being considered is sending divers but the mucky water makes visibility an issue.