Mehrauli killing: Accused Aaftab Poonawala’s narco test successful, officials say

PTI, Dec 1, 2022, 2:35 PM IST

Image credit: ANI

New Delhi: Shraddha Walkar murder accused Aaftab Amin Poonawala underwent a narco analysis test for almost two hours at a Rohini hospital here on Thursday as part of the ongoing investigation in the case, officials said.

Officials said Poonawala’s narco test was completely successful and his health condition was absolutely fine.

They said Poonawala reached Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital in Rohini at 8.40 am and the narco test started around 10 am. After the test, he was kept under observation.

Before undergoing the test, a general check-up was done to check his blood pressure, pulse rate, body temperature and heart beat, a senior official said.

A consent form with complete details of Poonawala and the team conducting his narco test was read out to him as part of the procedure. After he signed the form, the narco analysis procedure was started, the official said.

Narco analysis involves intravenous administration of a drug (such as sodium pentothal, scopolamine, and sodium amytal) that causes the person undergoing it to enter into various stages of anaesthesia.

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

Investigating agencies use this test after other pieces of evidence do not provide a clear picture of a case.

The Delhi Police earlier said it sought Poonawalla’s narco analysis test as his responses during interrogation were “deceptive” in nature.

The Supreme Court has ruled that narco-analysis, brain mapping, and polygraph tests cannot be conducted on any person without his or her consent.

Also, statements made during this test are not admissible as primary evidence in the court, except under certain circumstances when the bench thinks that the facts and nature of the case permit it.

Twenty-eight-year-old Poonawalla allegedly strangled his live-in partner Walkar and sawed her body into 35 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.

He was arrested on November 12 and sent to five-day police custody, which was further extended by five days on November 17. The court on November 26 sent him to judicial custody for 13 days.