In a major breakthrough in the sensational Shraddha Walkar murder case, the police on Thursday recovered the weapons allegedly used by Aaftab Poonawala to dismember his live-in partner’s body into 35 pieces.
According to Zee News sources, Aaftab told the police that he used several weapons, including a big knife and a saw, to cut Shraddha’s body.
The police have recovered five big-sized knives used to chop Shraddha's body, which are different from the kitchen knives in the house. They are sharp and about 5-6 inches in length.
However, the police are yet to recover the alleged second big weapon, which Aaftab says he used to dismember the body. The knives have been sent to forensic department for investigation.
The revelation comes as Aaftab undergoes the second phase of the polygraph test at the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Delhi's Rohini. The test could not be conducted on Wednesday as the 28-year-old was down with a fever and cold.
On Tuesday, Aaftab had told the court, which extended his police remand by four days, that he hit Shraddha because she provoked her. He said his actions were in "heat of the moment", and not deliberate. His lawyer, however, said that the 28-year-old has not yet confessed to killing Shraddha.
The investigation into the case saw a twist on Wednesday when it was found that Shraddha had lodged a police complaint against Aaftab two years ago, in which she had alleged that he had been threatening "to kill her" and "cut her into pieces". She, however, withdrew the complaint 26 days later.
This new information has prompted has prompted a new line of questioning by the investigators who are now seeking to ascertain whether Shraddha's killing on May 18 was in a "fit of rage" or a pre-planned act by Aaftab.
The polygraph test will be followed by narco analysis test. The statements made in these tests are not admissible in the court of law, except under certain circumstances when the court thinks the facts and nature of the case allow it.
For the police to make a watertight case against Aaftab, the road will not be an easy one. With no murder weapon and absence of Shraddha's body, the only thing which cops have is circumstantial evidence.
The body parts recovered based on Aaftab's statements are yet to be confirmed that they are of Shraddha, whom Aaftab first strangled on May 18 and then cut her body into 35 pieces, which he scattered in the nearby jungle area of Mehrauli over a period of 18 days.
