The Delhi Police on Sunday conducted fresh searches across the city, including the forest areas of Chhattarpur and the locality where the accused in the Mehrauli murder case Aaftab Poonawala and Shraddha Walkar used to live.
Police have been searching for evidence to use against Aaftab Amin Poonawala in court for the murder of Shradha Walkar for a week since his arrest, but it has proven difficult because the crime wasn't discovered for over six months. Experts in New Delhi claim that forensic analysis and circumstantial evidence are crucial in these situations.
Poonawala is accused of killing Walkar, his live-in partner, by strangling her and sawing her body into 35 pieces, which he allegedly kept in a 300-litre refrigerator at his Mehrauli home for almost three weeks before disposing of them over several days after midnight.
Former Delhi Authorities Commissioner S N Shrivastava noted that the murder occurred six months ago and remarked that although the crime scene had been cleared, police were still awaiting the accused's confession because he appeared to be a "clever" individual.
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"It is going to be a very difficult case and will require the help of all organs of the criminal justice system to nail him down. Police will get what it can, but the court will also have to understand the situation and act accordingly," he told PTI.
Although searches are still being conducted in the Mehrauli and other sections of Delhi and Gurugram's forests, the police have found 13 pieces of her body, most of which are skeleton remains. However, the weapon used to mutilate her body has not yet been found.
Poonawala may have done research on how to "fool" the police, according to Shrivastava, since he conducted so much research on how to kill, dispose of the body, and delete evidence.
A Delhi court authorised the police to administer a narco-analysis test to Poonawala on November 17. Given that Poonawala's five-day police detention period expires the next day, the test would most likely be performed in Rohini's Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital on Monday.
According to the officers, the test could produce some crucial evidence that would strengthen the case in court even though it would not be admissible in court.
Another retired Delhi Police chief, who requested not to be named, said, "On the basis of the narco analysis test, if the police recovered something, it is relevant. Confession is not admissible, but it is an aid to the investigator."
A serving Delhi Police official stressed that circumstantial evidence would be vital in proving the guilt of the accused but added that because the accused and Shradha were living together, forensic evidence and DNA samples from the body parts discovered would bolster the case.
"Even if the DNA of one of those parts matches with that of her kin, it will be enough to prove his guilt. The police are conducting searches and he is being taken along, so those things will also be used in court. The fact that he gave different versions to different people about Shraddha will also go against him," the officer said.
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The case, according to Shrivastava, will be a test for the forensics division because so much depends on it.
"The best-possible help of forensic science needs to be taken in this case, and if the accused gets off scot-free, that will be the failure of the criminal justice system of which the police, courts and forensics all are part of," he said.
It would be challenging for the police to establish guilt, according to a former detective who worked on the famed Tandoor murder case inquiry.
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"It is only his version the police are going by. Despite the meticulous cleaning he might have done at the crime scene, there are chances that dried blood might be found from the fridge's rubber lining, which could nail his guilt. Even though the narco analysis test is not admissible in court, the findings will help the police gather evidence," he said, concurring with the other officers.
The retired cop recalled the Tandoor case and claimed that the accused had killed Naina Sahni in a fit of rage before becoming flustered. He claimed that after clearing the crime scene, the murderer attempted to throw the body in the Yamuna but was unsuccessful. He then tried to burn the body in a tandoor. But he said, it appears that this murder was well planned.
"The way he bought the fridge and a weapon to chop the body shows the level of meticulous planning he did. Since the crime happened nearly six months ago, CCTV footage of his movements will be difficult to find as such footage is usually stored for a month and there is no backup," the retired officer said.
Regarding the difficulties in bringing charges in the case, Shrivastava stated that the main goal of the investigation is to uncover the truth. One component of the evidence is the primary evidence, which includes eyewitness statements, descriptions of the murder weapon(s), clothing, and injuries caused by the murder weapon.
He claimed that there is additional circumstantial evidence regarding Walkar's whereabouts, her last known whereabouts, and who she was with. Additionally, police have taken down the testimony of two men who Walkar asked for help after being assaulted by the suspect in 2020.
The accused Poonawala's Mehrauli home's clothing and any sharp objects discovered by the police will be forwarded for forensic analysis.
However, the two's clothing from May 18, the day the crime was committed, has yet to be discovered by detectives. They have found CCTV footage from early last month showing a man believed to be Poonawala strolling with a bag.
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To find relevant evidence, the Delhi Police dispatched teams to Maharashtra, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh on Friday. Officials claim that Walkar and Poonawala visited several destinations after leaving Mumbai, including Himachal Pradesh. Police are investigating these locations to determine whether any events during these travels may have caused Poonawala to kill Walkar.
(With inputs from PTI)