A Delhi court on Tuesday directed framing of murder charges against accused Aftab Poonawala, a year after he allegedly murdered his live-in partner and dismembered her body into pieces. Delhi’s Saket court has charged Poonawala under Sections 302 (murder) and 201 (disappearance of evidence).
Aftab, meanwhile, pleaded not guilty and claimed a trial against him. The matter has been listed for June 1 for hearing when the court will record the evidence presented by the prosecution.
Also Read: Crime shows, dating app and a missing saw — What we know about the Shraddha Walkar murder so far
After hearing all the arguments, the Saket Court said that the Delhi Police presented sufficient evidence and prima facie, a case of murder (302) and destruction of evidence is made out against Aftab.
On April 15, Additional Sessions Judge Manisha Khurana Kakkar reserved the order on framing of charges for April 29. Delhi Police booked the accused under Sections 302 (murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence), of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and filed a 6,629-page charge sheet on January 24.
Also Read: Shraddha Walkar murder case: Police van carrying accused Aaftab Poonawaala attacked in Delhi
On May 18, 2022, Shraddha Walkar was allegedly strangled to death by Aftab Poonawala, following which the accused dismembered her body into many pieces and stored them in a fridge for over two weeks at his Mehrauli residence in Delhi. In order to avoid the risk of being caught, Poonawala scattered the body parts of Walkar at different places in the national capital over the next several days.