E-Paper
Polygraph test on Aaftab Poonawala, Shraddha murder accused, postponed: Report
On Tuesday night, a panel of psychologists carried out a polygraph test on Aaftab Poonawala, according to forensic science laboratory (FSL) officials aware of the matter.
The polygraph test of Aaftab Amin Poonawala will not be conducted on Wednesday, said Sagar Preet Hooda, special CP (Law & Order) Zone II, reported news agency ANI. Some media reports, citing sources, reported Poonawala is unwell and the police believe it could affect the results of the test. The polygraph test is likely to be done on him on Thursday.
Poonawala, 28, allegedly strangled his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar, 27, at their rented accommodation in south Delhi’s Chhattarpur Pahadi on May 18, chopped up her body into 35 pieces, and dumped the body parts in forested areas in the national capital.
On Tuesday night, a panel of psychologists carried out a polygraph test on Poonawala, according to forensic science laboratory (FSL) officials aware of the matter.
A polygraph test on Poonawala was conducted at the FSL headquarters in Rohini, hours after the Delhi Police secured permission for it from a Delhi court, and the suspect gave his consent for the test. FSL officials said before going through with the test, he underwent “pre-medical and scientific sessions”, and experts gave a go-ahead only after he was found medically fit and fine.
To be sure, the result of a polygraph test is not considered a “confession”, and is not admissible in the court of law. The tests are done only to assist investigators in their investigation and get leads from the suspect, and the test is not scientifically proven to have a complete success rate.
Meanwhile, a written complaint dated November 23, 2020, filed with Tulinj police station in Maharashtra's Palghar district revealed that Walkar had two years ago complained that Poonawala had tried to kill her and she feared he would cut her into pieces and throw her away.
Based on her written complaint, the personnel of Tulinj police station visited the place, where Walkar and Poonawala resided, twice and recorded her statement. Walkar then told the police that she had lodged the complaint "in a fit of rage" and the issues between her and Poonawala were resolved. She told the police that she was withdrawing her complaint, after which the case was closed, a police official told news agency PTI.
