4 min readNew DelhiMar 8, 2023 08:12 AM IST
First published on: Mar 8, 2023 at 06:40 AM IST
Asking a Delhi court to frame charges of murder against Aaftab Poonawala, accused of killing his 27-year-old live-in partner Shraddha Walkar, the prosecution Tuesday said he knew how to dispose of her body due to his skills as a trained chef.
Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad, who appeared on behalf of the state, began arguments on charge before Additional Sessions Judge Manisha Khurana Kakkar. He told the court, “Post-mortem confirms use of saw on the bone, he is a trained chef who has qualification from Taj… by virtue of being a trained chef, he understands how to handle, preserve, clean up. He also orders for dry ice, for preserving, he also orders for cleaning articles, disinfectants, all these things are part of that.”
The arguments will continue on March 20 as the prosecution was unable to wrap up arguments.
Aaftab was physically produced before the judge and asked the court to discharge his lawyer and sought a new one to represent him in the case. He was represented by a legal aid counsel for today’s hearing.
SPP Prasad had read out Shraddha’s letter to the local police in Maharashtra on November 23, 2020, stating that Aaftab “tried to kill me by suffocating me and he scares and blackmails me that he will kill me, cut me up in pieces and throw me away”.
The SPP told the court that “this is the exact pattern that was followed eventually… They went through (a) sour relationship, the victim suffered physical assaults”. The prosecution submitted that following the murder, the incident came to light six months later during which “lots of destruction of evidence had taken place”. The prosecution has submitted that they have witnesses to support their case right from their live-in relationship where they posed as a married couple to their stay in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand to improve their relationship. The prosecution stated that the couple was also “financially blocked” as they were unable to spend small amounts.
The SPP further stated that the couple tried to stay at a friend’s place and had to leave as they were unable to settle the accounts, and had to eventually stay on a friend’s terrace after he refused to open the door.
The prosecution claimed that around the time of the murder, the couple got into a heated argument which was witnessed by a prosecution witness.
“There is another witness… he has seen them getting into a heated exchange of words, Shraddha is walking down, accused is pulling her up. They continue with the heated exchange, then everything goes silent,” the SPP told the court.
The prosecution claimed that following the murder, Shraddha’s bank accounts were wiped out and an amount of Rs 54,000 was transferred.
The SPP stated that later on when Shraddha’s acquaintances tried to make contact with her, Aaftab began “handling the instant messaging application, Instagram, and all these platforms”.
“Multiple chats with multiple people to create a facade that Shraddha is alive. No one has seen her exiting that building. Eventually in November when the FIR is registered, he is arrested… Thereafter, there is recovery of bones from various places, recovery of hair,” the SPP told the court.
The SPP said the same day, Aaftab bought a “hand saw with three blades, a pairing knife, chopper, trash bags… he bought a double-door refrigerator for which he makes payment through his own card”. The prosecution alleged that after the murder, the accused got into a relationship with another woman and gifted her a ring which he initially gave to Shraddha.
“Multiple chats with multiple people to create a facade that Shraddha is alive. No one has seen her exiting that building. Eventually in November when the FIR is registered, he is arrested… Thereafter, there is recovery of bones from various places, recovery of hair," the SPP told the court.
Share
