Shraddha Walkar murder case: Aaftab Poonawala's narco test on December 5; approves Delhi Court

• Image Credit: ANI

• Nov 29, 2022 | Kabir Chakraborty

Police had previously stated that the narco analysis would be carried out at Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital in Rohini by a team of FSL experts.

Digital Desk: A court here on Tuesday granted Delhi Police permission to conduct a narcotics test on Aaftab Amin Poonawala, according to Poonawala's counsel. Poonawala's lawyer, Abinash Kumar, stated that the police filed an application to take Poonawala to the Forensic Science Lab in Rohini on December 1 and 5, which was granted by the court.

Police had previously stated that the narco analysis would be carried out at Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital in Rohini by a team of FSL experts.

On Monday, Poonawala was in a police van when he was attacked by some armed men at the FSL.

A video of the incident that went viral on social media showed a cop drawing his pistol to advise the attackers to back off.

Since the incident, security has been increased outside the FSL, where Poonawala has been subjected to a series of polygraph examinations.

Narco analysis, sometimes known as truth serum, entails the intravenous infusion of a medication (such as sodium pentothal, scopolamine, or sodium amytal) that induces various phases of anaesthesia in the individual undergoing it. 

The person becomes less inhibited and more prone to give facts that would normally not be revealed in the conscious state during the hypnotic stage. When other evidence fails to provide a clear picture of the case, the investigative authorities turn to this test.

The Delhi Police had previously stated that it was seeking authorization for Poonawala's narco analysis since his statements during interrogation were dishonest.

The Supreme Court has decided that narco-analysis, brain mapping, and polygraph examinations on anyone without their agreement are illegal.

Furthermore, statements made during this examination are not admissible as primary evidence in court, unless the bench believes that the facts and nature of the case enable it.

Poonawala, 28, is accused of murdering and slicing his live-in lover, Shraddha Walker, into 35 pieces.

He allegedly kept her body parts in a 300-litre fridge at his home in Mehrauli, South Delhi, for about three weeks before dumping them across the city over several days in the dead of night.

He was arrested on November 12 and placed in police custody for five days, which was extended by five days on November 17.

On November 22, he was sent to police custody for four days. The court on November 26, sent him to judicial custody for 13 days.