Shraddha Walkar murder: Poonawalla had googled about ‘how to beat lie-detector tests’: Sources

MUMBAI: Right from the beginning of the investigation into the disappearance and murder of Shraddha Walkar, her live-in partner Aftab Poonawalla has been very evasive in answering all questions regarding the case. He kept lying, hoodwinking the cops and sending them on a wild goose chase.

He had prepared him very well by researching police methods, investigation procedures, legal procedures, trial and conviction and other similar topics, for this situation, knowing well that one day he could be caught by the cops and Aftab had prepared himself mentally for it.

While the Delhi police have obtained permission from the court to conduct a narco-analysis test to ascertain the truth and find out the extent to which Aftab is lying or telling the truth, the going may not be easy for the investigating team. The narco test will be conducted on Monday at the Rohini Forensic Labs in Delhi as instructed by the Saket court.

The investigation team is of the opinion that a narco-analysis test would help them to pry out more information from Aftab Pooonawalla. But the reality may well be something else.

Sources in the Delhi police claim that Poonawalla had prepared him for lie detector tests – he had widely researched and read up all the online articles and content on brain-mapping, narco-analysis, lie-detector and polygraph testing, how to beat them and how to subvert the testing system.

He had even practiced deep breathing exercises, breath control, controlling eyelid movement and control of other physio-physical signals like enlargement of the retina, blinking of eyelids, sweating, increased heart-beat and other factors which the lie-detectors and polygraphs monitor when the subject is under test.

Brain-mapping involves observing and recording the electronic signals in the brain, breathing and sweating patterns, heart beat and other parameters during the test and during the questioning process. Dummy questions are asked and the response is noted, then genuine questions are put to the subject under test and the responses are compared with each other.

Drugs such as sodium pentothal, scopolamine or sodium amytal are given as an injection to the subject that causes the accused under test to enter into various stages of anesthesia. Sodium Pentothal (Thiopentone) is injected into the subject, which creates a ‘hypnotic state’ in the subject. It lowers the individual’s self-consciousness and the subject starts speaking freely without inhibition. This is why the drug is also called the truth serum.

However, if a subject tries to control his thoughts and actions by playing or replaying and thinking about certain mental images – like happy moments, sad moments and angry moments in his brain while the questioning is going on, the machines may record conflicting brain signals.

Further smart criminals may drink a lot of water just before the tests. Though this is prohibited, they may claim  they want to visit the toilet for urination and consume a lot of water, diluting the effect of Sodium Pentothal to a small extent.

Narco-analysis involves injecting the subject under test with certain chemicals that cause the subject to lose control.  This test involves the intravenous administration of a drug (such as sodium pentothal, scopolamine and sodium amytal) that causes the subject to enter into various stages of anesthesia and lose active control over his thoughts and emotions.

It means a person is put into a sort of trance or mini sleep state in which he is not fully conscious of the surroundings and situation. It’s like getting drunk, when the individual seems to open up and let go.

Aftab Poonawalla had attempted and tried various drugs and tried controlling his emotions and thoughts while he was under the influence of those drugs, said a police source.

He had apparently read up on every article on these subjects and knew the shortfalls and limitations of each method and test, probably understanding that some day he would have to face similar tests himself.