Shraddha Walkar's Father Says Loopholes Delaying Murder Case, Demands Focus on Aaftab's 'Hidden' Parents

Shraddha Walkar’s father Vikas Walkar on Monday expressed concerns about “loopholes” in the investigation into his daughter’s murder allegedly by her live-in partner Aaftab Poonawala and called for authorities to focus on the accused’s parents, who he believes are being kept “hidden.”

Speaking to ANI, he expressed concerns that Aaftab’s parents have not been mentioned yet, “His (Aftab) parents are yet not highlighted. I think they have been hidden somewhere. Where are they? I appeal to highlight them.”

“We need to perform the last rites for Shraddha and I have requested her body parts,” he added.

He further said Aaftab should be given the death penalty and loopholes in the probe and proceedings are delaying the case. “He ( Aftab Poonawalla) should be given the death penalty. He is guilty. He committed this crime with full planning. There are loopholes in the investigation and proceedings due to which the case is delayed,” he said.

He further said that he has asked his lawyer to appeal for fast-track proceedings in the case.

Walkar’s father had earlier urged for a fast-track court to hear the murder case in a time-bound manner, emphasising the interest of justice. His lawyer, Seema Kushwaha, had said she planned to file a petition in the Delhi High Court for expedited proceedings.

Vikas, who filed the complaint, expressed his inability to perform his daughter’s last rites due to the body parts being held as evidence.

The chargesheet filed in the case accuses Aaftab Amin Poonawala of allegedly murdered his live-in partner Walkar by strangling her on May 18 last year. Poonawala then dismembered her body and stored the pieces in a refrigerator for nearly three weeks at his residence in Mehrauli in south Delhi.

During the arguments regarding the charges last month, the prosecution played an audio clip from the Practo app, which was used by the accused and the victim to book a session with a psychologist.

In the clip, Walkar could be heard saying, “…whenever I start ranting about my anger, if he is somewhere around, anywhere in Vasai (near Mumbai), anywhere around me in this…city, he will find me, he will hunt me down, he will try to kill me, that’s… the problem.”

The clip continued with Walkar stating: “I don’t know (how) many times he tried to kill me — this is not the first time he tried to kill me… The way he grabbed my neck, I blacked out. I was unable to breathe for 30 seconds… Thankfully I was able to defend myself by pulling his hair.”

The audio recordings were also played in the court earlier today during the hearing an application moved by the Delhi Police regarding issuing orders to “Aaj Tak” and other media channels not to telecast any material regarding the FIR in the case.

Link court of Additional Sessions Judge Rakesh Kumar Singh said it was brought to the court’s notice that “Aaj Tak” is contemplating telecasting certain recordings or transcript of the narco-analysis test and from the Practo app, and the prosecution has claimed that it would not only be damaging for the case, but would also impact the accused and the victim’s family.

The judge also noted the submissions made by Chief Public Prosecutor Vinod Sharma and Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad that recordings and transcripts have already been made part of the court records and in such circumstances, no party or person can utilise anything related to a court record without the court’s permission.

The judge, however, underlined that he was taking a “prima facie view” and a detailed hearing would be given to the parties.

(With inputs from PTI)

Read all the Latest India News here