Aaftab was escorted by 3rd battalion of Delhi Police during attempted sword attack: Officials

New Delhi [India], November 29 (ANI): The police personnel, escorting murder accused Aaftab Amin Poonawala during a sword attack allegedly attempted by Hindu Sena workers, belonged to the third battalion of Delhi Police, officials said.

Earlier on Monday evening, two sword-wielding men attempted to attack the police van carrying Aaftab, outside the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) office in Delhi.

"The responsibility of transporting prisoners from jail to anywhere is of the third Battalion of the Delhi Police. Aaftab was escorted by five police personnel, including one SI rank as their in-charge, during the attempted attack by sword-wielders on a police van carrying Poonawala," a police official told ANI over the phone on the conditions of anonymity. "The police personnel and Aaftab were safe and secured," he added.

During the alleged clash, Aaftab was being taken by the police after his polygraph tests were done for the day.

Earlier, the FSL Director Sanjeev Gupta told ANI that the polygraph test of Aaftab may continue on Tuesday as well.

"The Expert team is conducting polygraph tests. Today's session will be completed soon. We may need to continue the test tomorrow as well. Once our tests are completed, the Narco test will be conducted," he said.

The polygraph test held on Sunday could not be completed, despite Aaftab being taken to the FSL office for three days.

The first session of the polygraph test on Aaftab was deferred after his "ill health". The second session of the test, which was to be held on November 23, was also deferred after Poonawala reportedly "fell ill". The second and third sessions were conducted on November 25 and 26 respectively.

Aaftab is accused of strangling to death his live-in partner Shraddha and chopping her body into 35 pieces. He is also alleged to have preserved the chopped body parts in a refrigerator before dumping them in forested areas in Delhi and Gurugram.

Police had earlier said Aaftab, who confessed to killing Shraddha and chopping her body into 35 pieces, was giving misleading answers to questions.

Delhi Police had submitted in court that Aaftab was giving wrong information and was misleading the investigation. (ANI)

Source: National