New Delhi : Delhi's Saket court on Friday listed the matter on March 7 for hearing arguments on charges against Aaftab Amin Poonawala, accused of strangling his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar and chopping her body into 35 pieces. The case was listed before Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Manisha Khurana Kakkar.
ASJ Kakkar listed the matter for hearing on arguments on charge on March 7. Aaftab was produced physically in the court. He also interacted with his counsel. The Principal District and Sessions Judge Narottam Kaushal assigned the Shraddha murder case to ASJ Kakkar for further hearing in the matter. Advocate Brijesh Oberoi also appeared as Legal Aid Counsel (LAC) for Aaftab.
On the other hand, advocate M S Khan submitted before the court that he is the counsel for the accused. A LAC can't be appointed when there is a private counsel engaged. Aftab has also not expressed his desire to have a LAC. He also submitted that he will withdraw his 'vakalatnama', if any other private counsel appears for the accused.
The magistrate court on February 21 committed the case to the court of Sessions. On February 7, Metropolitan magistrate Aviral Shukla took cognizance of the charge sheet filed against Aftab Amin Poonawala. Delhi police on January 24 filed a voluminous 6629 pages charge sheet against Aftab Amin Poonawala in the Shraddha Walkar murder case.
The charge sheet contains 6629 pages including the annexures. The judge had said, it is voluminous." The charge sheet has been filed under sections of 302, 201 and other sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Delhi police filed the charge before the expiry of 90 days after its investigation.
During the investigation, Delhi police conducted the narco Analysis test, polygraph test and collected the DNA evidence to establish the allegations against Aftab. Aftab is accused of strangling his live-in partner in May 2022 in the Mehrauli area. After the alleged strangulation, he allegedly cut the body of the deceased into 35 pieces. Earlier, the court had dismissed the bail plea of Aftab Poonawala after he withdrew the same.