The Joint Director said Koli broke down during interrogation when they showed him the mobile phone of Payal, which he had used for some time after murdering her.

Kumar added that while Pandher had bribed Uttar Pradesh police officials, it was because he had been called for questioning over prostitution rackets. “Pandher had been called by the police earlier for investigation of some prostitution rackets and he was scared for his reputation... He used to get call girls and felt guilty as he thought due to his activities police had started troubling Koli too. That is why he bribed police to get Koli off the hook... He never imagined Koli could have murdered anyone as he thought him to be a docile man. Pandher says in his narco statement that Koli used to take good care of him... In fact Pandher also hired a private detective in Delhi to trace Payal (while) the Allahabad court was dwelling on his anticipatory bail plea. He never knew Payal had been murdered by Koli,” said Kumar.

The chargesheet quotes Pandher’s narco-analysis statement, in which he says: “I am not a half-woman to poke my nose in the kitchen and other rooms of my house to find out what is going on... That is why I have landed in so much trouble.”

‘Koli ate flesh of at least 2 victims’

• Koli main accused, charged with kidnapping, rape, murder and destruction of evidence

• Pandher accused of criminal conspiracy, destruction of evidence, offering bribes and under the Immoral Trafficking Act

... contd.