Blood samples found in Aaftab's flat are Shraddha’s: Forensic report

The laboratory report — which matched traces taken from the flat with blood samples taken from Shraddha Walkar’s father — is admissible in court as evidence and establishes police’s claim that the scene of the alleged crime was one-bedroom rented flat in Chhattarpur where the couple lived.

A report by the central forensic laboratory has confirmed that traces of blood retrieved from Aaftab Poonawala’s south Delhi flat in October belonged to his girlfriend Shradhha Walkar, officials aware of the probe said on Thursday, strengthening the police’s case against the 28-year-old man accused of murdering his partner and hacking her body in to at least 35 pieces.

Aaftab Poonawala, 28, allegedly killed his girlfriend Shraddha Walkar, 27, at their flat in south Delhi’s Chhatarpur Pahadi on May 18 this year. (ANI)

The laboratory report — which matched traces taken from the flat with blood samples taken from Walkar’s father — is admissible in court as evidence and establishes police’s claim that the scene of the alleged crime was one-bedroom rented flat in Chhattarpur where the couple lived. It is also the second big breakthrough in the case in two weeks. On December 15, police said DNA retrieved from bones found in south Delhi forests matched that of Walkar’s father, confirming the 27-year-old woman’s death.

“For several months, Poonawala cleaned the house and believed he had successfully washed off the stains. But forensic experts dug out the blood stains, which may not be visible to the naked eye,” said a police officer, who asked not to be named.

“The latest report from CFSL confirms that the blood stains retrieved from under tiles in the bathroom, kitchen and under the bed was Walkar’s blood,” the officer said.

Police say Poonawala murdered Walkar on May 18 in a fit of rage, chopped her body, and threw the decomposed parts piece-by-piece in different parts of south Delhi. The couple had moved to Delhi three days before the alleged crime, and various pieces of evidence, as well as accounts from friends and family, have traced the outlines of an abusive relationship.

But there were no eyewitnesses to the alleged crime. Police have largely relied on Poonawala’s ostensible confession during custodial interrogation to piece together the sequence of the crime, but in the absence of corroborative evidence, such statements are not admissible in court. This is why the twin breakthroughs over the past week are critical to the police’s case. A person’s genetics is almost evenly split with DNA patterns from their parents, which makes the match a convincing piece of evidence.

The alleged crime came to light on November 12. Between November 3 and 16, forensic experts managed to retrieve blood samples from behind tiles in the bathroom, kitchen, and the walls of the bed. The samples were then sent to the Central Bureau of Investigation’s central forensic science laboratory in Delhi for forensic analysis, officials added.

“The CFSL is regularly sending us the reports. We are expecting some 18-20 reports. The latest one we have received is the pathology report,” said the officer quoted above.

Police also found weapons at the flat — including knives and a hand saw — but they are yet to be conclusively linked to the crime. “We recovered over a dozen tools from the house, which Poonawala used in chopping Walkar’s body. For days he used whatever he could find to chop the body. All these tools were sent to the forensic laboratory. We are awaiting the report,” said a second police officer, requesting anonymity.

Police are also likely to get a copy of Poonawala’s narcoanalysis report from the Delhi government’s forensic science laboratory (FSL). Officials at the FSL aware of the developments said the report had been prepared and will be handed soon.

“The findings will be helpful in the police’s investigation. The findings are aligned with what the suspect has confessed to the police so far. Though it may not be independently admissible as evidence, the result of the narco test is thought to be more reliable than the polygraph test because, in a narco test, the person is not in a conscious state or able to lie conveniently,” said an FSL officer, requesting anonymity. The scientific veracity of narco analysis has been repeatedly called into question by experts.

Poonawala and Walkar, originally from Vasai near Mumbai, were in a relationship and moved to Delhi in May 2022. Walkar was estranged from her family who opposed her relationship with Poonawala but the alleged murder came to light when a friend informed Walkar’s father, Vikas Madan Walkar, that he had not heard from her for at least two months. Her father then informed Mumbai Police in October.

The grisly crime was unearthed on November 12 after Poonawala ostensibly told the police that he murdered Walkar in their Chhattarpur flat six months ago, chopped her body into at least 35 pieces for over two days, stored them in a refrigerator for about three months, and dumped the body parts piece by piece. Police later said that the couple fought over finances on May 18 — three days after they moved into the flat in Chhattarpur.

Poonawala — who worked at a call centre in Gurugram — was arrested on November 12. Investigating officers say they have strong circumstantial evidence in the form of phone calls and location records which establish Poonawala was last seen with Walkar; used her social media accounts after the murder; used her bank accounts and also threatened to kill her and chop her body into pieces earlier.