Shraddha Walkar murder case: Delhi court extends Aftab Amin Poonawalla`s police custody, allows narco test

Aaftab Poonawala, who is accused of strangling his live-in partner Shradha Walkar, allegedly sawed her body into several pieces and kept in a 300-litre fridge for almost three weeks before dumping them across Delhi over several days.

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Thursday (November 17, 2022) permitted the police to question Shraddha Walkar murder accused Aaftab Amin Poonawala for five more days in its custody and also allowed his narco analysis test to be conducted to unravel the case. Metropolitan Magistrate Aviral Shukla passed the order while allowing police plea in the matter.

Poonawala, 28, allegedly strangled his live-in partner Shradha Walkar, 27, and sawed her body into several pieces which he kept in a 300-litre fridge for almost three weeks at his residence in South Delhi's Mehrauli before dumping them across the city over several days.

The Delhi Police had sought a narco test of Poonawala as it continued its search for the missing body parts of Walkar. 

Earlier on Wednesday, the police said that Walker's head, phone and the weapon used in the crime have not been recovered so far. They stated that it is suspected that Poonawala allegedly tried to kill her in the past too and this is being investigated.

What is a Narco test that Aaftab Poonawala will take?

The Narco test involves the intravenous administration of a drug (such as sodium pentothal, scopolamine and sodium amytal) that causes the subject to enter into various stages of anaesthesia.

In the hypnotic stage, the subject becomes less inhibited and is more likely to divulge information, which would usually not be revealed in the conscious state.

According to the investigators, the narco test is necessary since Poonawala is changing his statements and not cooperating in the probe.

Aaftab Poonawala, Shraddha Walkar used to have frequent arguments over financial issues

Meanwhile, police also said that the couple used to have frequent arguments over financial issues and it is suspected that there was also a fight between them that resulted in Poonawala killing Walkar on May 18.

The police also found that post May 22, Rs 54,000 was transferred from Walkar's bank account to Poonawala and investigators are also scanning chats between the duo on social media.

Walker was insisting Poonawala to get all their belongings from the Mumbai house but apparently, the couple did not have enough money to go back to Mumbai. This also further created tension between them, a police official said.