Mehrauli murder: DNA test confirms bones found in forest belong to Shraddha Walkar

New Delhi: Police on Thursday claimed to have gathered some key evidence in the Mehrauli murder case, saying the DNA samples extracted from the bones recovered from a forest area and from the blood traces found at the house where Shraddha Walkar was murdered have matched with samples of her father.

The report was received from CFSL (Central Forensic Science Laboratory), Lodhi Road, they said.

The evidence comes over a month after Aaftab Poonawala was arrested for allegedly killing his live-in partner Walkar. The police had recovered 13 bone pieces from the Mehrauli forest and its nearby area while searching for Walkar's body parts.

Meanwhile, Lt Governor V K Saxena approved a proposal of Delhi Police to appoint two special public prosecutors -- Madhukar Pandey and Amit Prasad -- in the case.

Walkar, 27, was allegedly strangled and her body sawed into 35 pieces and disposed in various parts of the capital by Poonawala.

"In the Shradha Walkar murder case, Delhi Police has received the DNA report which is helpful. We have also received report of his (Poonawala's) polygraph test from FSL, Rohini, and this report will also help in investigation," Special Commissioner of Police (Law & Order) Sagar Preet Hooda told reporters here on Thursday.

A source said the DNA of the bones matches with the samples of Walkar's father, adding that also, DNA samples extracted from the blood found at Poonawala's house also matched with samples of her father.

The report of Poonawala's polygraph test was submitted to the police by the forensic sciences lab on Wednesday. However, final report of narco analysis test is still awaited.

Another source said the polygraph test report will help in the investigation by the police, claiming that during the examination, Poonawala has allegedly confessed to killing Walkar.

On LG Saxena's approval to the proposal of appointment of special public prosecutors, an official told PTI, "LG V K Saxena has approved the proposal of the Delhi Police for appointment of Special Public Prosecutors to represent the State in the Trial Court in case FIR No. 659 dt. November 10, 2022 u/s 365/302/201 IPC, registered at PS Mehrauli.

"The matter relates to the gruesome Shraddha murder case. Madhukar Pandey and Amit Prasad, advocates, will be accordingly representing the Delhi Police as special public prosecutors in the matter."

Special public prosecutors are usually appointed to ensure focused attention on the prosecution of accused and expeditious trial in a particular case.

They are appointed either by the state or by judicial orders, as happened in the 2G, the coal scam cases, for smooth and expeditious trial.

The supervisory high courts can also designate a court as a special court to fast track trials in cases of public importance.

According to investigating officers, the statements that Poonawala gave in his polygraph and narco analysis tests and during the police interrogation were the same.

Police are yet to recover Walkar's mobile phone which the accused allegedly threw somewhere.

Currently, Poonawala is lodged in Tihar Jail and has also been provided Paul Theroux's railway odyssey 'The Great Railway Bazaar' following his request.

The court on November 26 sent him to judicial custody for 13 days. On Friday, it extended by 14 days the judicial custody of Poonawala till December 23.

After allegedly strangling Walkar on May 18, Poonawala sawed her body into 35 pieces and kept them in a 300-litre fridge for almost three weeks at his residence before dumping them across the city over several days.