Shraddha Walkar Murder Case (2022)

Shraddha Walkar Murder Case (2022)

The Shraddha Walkar murder case involves the gruesome killing of 27-year-old Shraddha Walkar by her live-in partner, Aaftab Amin Poonawala, on May 18, 2022, in their Delhi apartment

. The crime shocked the nation with its horrific details, including the dismemberment of the body, its storage in a refrigerator, and the methodical disposal of the pieces over several weeks.

Background of Shraddha Walkar and Aaftab Poonawala-

• Relationship: Shraddha, a call center employee from Maharashtra, met Poonawala through a dating app in early 2019.

• Family opposition: They entered a live-in relationship, which her family, especially her father, opposed due to their interfaith differences.

• Move to Delhi: Against her family's wishes, Shraddha moved out and eventually relocated to Delhi with Poonawala, settling in a rented flat in the Chattarpur Pahadi area.

• History of abuse: Prior to the murder, Shraddha's friends and brother noted a history of physical and verbal abuse by Poonawala. She had been beaten in the past but always forgave him when he apologized.

The murder and cover-up

• The crime: On May 18, 2022, following a heated argument over marriage, Poonawala strangled Shraddha to death.

• Dismemberment: To hide the crime, Poonawala, allegedly inspired by the American crime show Dexter, chopped her body into 35 pieces over several days.

• Body part disposal: He purchased a 300-liter refrigerator to store the body parts. Every night for 18 days, around 2 a.m., he would carry bags containing the remains and dispose of them in the Mehrauli forest area to avoid detection. He used room fresheners and incense sticks to mask the foul odor.

• Maintaining the pretense: For months after the murder, Poonawala continued to use Shraddha's social media accounts to prevent her family and friends from becoming suspicious.

Discovery and investigation

• Missing person report: The case came to light in November 2022 when Shraddha's father, Vikas Walkar, filed a missing person complaint with the Mumbai police after being alerted by his daughter's friends. They had noticed she was inactive on her social media.

• Delhi Police intervention: After tracing the couple's last known location to Delhi, the Mumbai police transferred the case to the Delhi police.

• Arrest and confession: The Delhi Police questioned Poonawala, who initially claimed Shraddha had left him. However, under sustained interrogation, he confessed to the murder. He was arrested on November 12, 2022.

• Evidence and chargesheet: Poonawala led police to the forest where he had scattered the body parts. Authorities used digital evidence, including his Google search history and location data, to corroborate his confession. A chargesheet was filed in January 2023, detailing the crime.

Aftermath and trial

• Charges framed: In May 2023, a Delhi court framed charges of murder and causing the disappearance of evidence against Poonawala.

• Father's testimony: Vikas Walkar provided crucial testimony in court, recounting Poonawala's confession to him at the police station.

• Request for speedier trial: In July 2024, a court rejected Poonawala's plea to hold the trial less frequently, stating that he appeared to be attempting to delay the proceedings.

• Accused in Tihar: Poonawala is currently lodged in Delhi's Tihar Jail. In March 2024, the Delhi High Court ordered that he be allowed out of his solitary confinement cell for eight hours a day, like other prisoners