A year since Shraddha Walkar murder, father says no update from cops, court

Police said Poonawala had chopped Walkar’s body with a saw and knives, and disposed of the pieces – more than 20 of them – at different locations over the next several weeks.

It was in October 2022 that Walkar’s father Vikas lodged a missing persons report when he couldn’t reach his daughter on phone. Police had said the father-daughter had not been talking much since Vikas disapproved of her relationship with Poonawala.

Vikas said he is yet to perform Walkar’s last rites or any other puja to remember her. “I tried a lot to get her remains but the police gave us nothing…It looks like the case has gone cold…All the proof points towards him (Poonawala),” says Vikas, adding he had a “sweet and ambitious daughter who was killed by an abusive man”.

In the last two to three months, Vikas alleged, he has not received a call from the police or courts about any development in the case.

Vikas has one regret – not being able to talk much to his daughter when she was alive. “My daughter and I didn’t talk a lot. I regret that now…I keep thinking about the case but don’t know what to do. I haven’t been to Delhi in months…” he said.

A senior police officer said the probe was complete and all evidence chargesheeted. “The court is recording statements now… We have all the necessary evidence,” the official said. A Delhi court framed murder charges against Poonawala earlier this year.

Vikas clearly remembers his first meeting with Poonawala – at the police station last year. “I had asked him about my daughter. He looked at me and told me ‘she’s no more’. He then went on to tell the police how he killed my daughter… I stood there listening to all the gory details. I wanted to run but I couldn’t,” said Vikas.

The Delhi Police said they have seized documents, weapons, bones and other pieces of evidence in connection with the case. At least 17-19 bones have matched with Walkar’s samples.

Meanwhile, residents of the locality in Chattarpur where the couple lived said they haven’t moved on from the incident.

A woman, who lives in the same building, said, “We have kids and always ask them to stay away from the house…We don’t have a lot of guests over.”

Another local resident, a tenant in the next building, said, “Nobody wants to be associated with the couple or this area. My friends don’t visit me here. People still come to take photos of the apartment (which has been empty for over a year now)…”