Aaftab Poonawala Archives - Lokmarg

Shraddha Case: DNA Confirms Bone, Hair Samples Are Of Shraddha Walkar

By LokMarg 4th January 2023

In a major development in the Shraddha Walkar murder case, the Delhi Police on Wednesday said that samples of hair and bones recovered by them matched that of Shraddha.

A mitochondrial DNA report of the samples found in the forest area of Mehrauli and sent for testing at the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting Diagnostic (CDFD) in Hyderabad has matched with that of the victim’s father and brother, the Delhi Police said.
The bone and hair samples were sent to Hyderabad for “DNA Mitrocondrial profiling” as the DNA couldn’t be extracted from the body parts.

“Mitochondrial DNA report confirms hair and bone sample matching with Shraddha Walker. Delhi Police has received the report from the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics,” said Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Sagar Preet Hooda.

“One piece of bone and a bunch of hair purported to be of the deceased have matched with that of her father and brother which establishes the identity of the bone and hair to be that of Shraddha Walker,” Special CP added.

He further said that the bones will now be sent for post-mortem examination to be conducted by a medical board at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

Shraddha was allegedly killed by her live-in partner Aaftab Amin Poonawala.

Aftab allegedly chopped her body into 35 pieces, bought a refrigerator and stored them in it before he disposed them off at different locations in and around Delhi during the night hours for the next 18 days.

Police had earlier said Aaftab, who confessed to killing Shraddha and chopping her body into pieces, gave misleading answers to questions

Notably, Delhi Police is currently investigating the murder case.

In November, Shraddha’s father Vikash Madan Walkar, a resident of Palghar (Maharashtra), approached Mumbai police and lodged a missing person complaint.

During the initial investigation, Shraddha’s last location was found in Delhi, and on the basis of this, the case was transferred to Delhi Police.

Shraddha’s father told the police about his daughter’s relationship with Aftab and suspected his involvement in his daughter’s absence.

During the investigation, it was found that Aaftab and Shraddha had come to Delhi and started living in a rented apartment in the Chhattarpur Pahadi area. The police during the course of the investigation, traced Aftab and nabbed him.

Aftab, during questioning, confessed to the crime and said that they fought often as Shraddha was pressuring him for marriage.

Recently, Aaftab has moved an application seeking bail on the grounds that the initial investigation in the case has been completed.

The bail application moved through the legal aid counsel has stated that the initial investigation in the matter is completed and a charge sheet is to be filed.

Aaftab Poonawala is in judicial custody till December 23.

Aaftab’s polygraph test and Narco Analysis test have also been conducted.

The Delhi Police will file a charge sheet in the matter soon. (ANI)

Shraddha Case: Court Extends Aaftab’s Judicial Custody

By LokMarg 9th December 2022

A Saket Court extended the judicial custody of Aaftab Amin Poonawala for 14 days said officials on Friday.

Aaftab is the chief accused in the Shraddha Walkar murder case.
He was produced through video conferencing in the court today.

Aaftab Amin Poonawalla, the accused of killing his live-in partner Shraddha Walker, currently lodged in Tihar Jail, was produced before the Saket court here through video conferencing, said the Prison Officials.

The 28-year-old, who dismembered Shraddha’s body and stored the chopped body parts in a refrigerator before disposing of them in the forests of south Delhi’s Chhatarpur, is currently in Judicial custody.

Delhi police sought an extension of judicial custody and submitted that investigation is underway on the case.

According to the jail authorities, Aaftab spends time plotting chess moves, often solitary and occasionally sparring with two fellow inmates.

One of the investigators in the case even said Aaftab is very clever and a “new twist” could be expected in the case.

According to sources, Aaftab shares his jail cell with two more inmates who frequently play a game of chess in the cell.

Aaftab is accused of strangling to death his live-in partner Shraddha and chopping her body into 35 pieces. He is also alleged to have preserved the chopped body parts in a refrigerator before dumping them in forested areas in Delhi and Gurugram.

Police had earlier said Aaftab, who confessed to killing Shraddha and chopping her body into 35 pieces, was giving misleading answers to questions.

Delhi Police had submitted in court that Aaftab was giving wrong information and was misleading the investigation. (ANI)

Tihar Authorities Provide Aaftab, The Great Railway Bazaar’ Book

By LokMarg 3rd December 2022

On the request of Aaftab Amin Poonawala, accused of murdering his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar, the Tihar jail authorities gave him a copy of ‘The Great Railway Bazaar, jail sources said on Saturday.

“The murder accused Aaftab, who is currently lodged in Tihar Jail, requested police for an English novel to read inside the jail,” Tihar Jail sources said.
Interestingly, Delhi Police provided Aaftab with the book ‘The Great Railway Bazaar: By Train Through Asia’, a travelogue by American novelist Paul Theroux. The jail authorities gave him the book as it is not based on crime and does not have content that could make him harm others or himself, the sources said.

Delhi Police took this decision as Aaftab (28) is accused of strangulating his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar and chopping her body parts, storing them in a refrigerator before dumping them in South Delhi’s Mehrauli.

According to police, most of the time in jail, Aaftab plays chess. “Poonawala spends time by plotting chess moves, often solitary and occasionally sparring with two fellow inmates,” jail authorities said.

According to sources, Aaftab shares his jail cell with two more inmates who frequently play a game of chess on the chess board available in the cell. Often Aaftab keenly observes the games of the two other inmates and whenever he gets a chance he plays both the white and black pieces. He is the single player and he strategises and plays both sides himself, sources said.

“The vicious Aaftab is fond of chess and he prepares different strategies and plays the board from both ends,” sources said, adding that he is a “good player, in this game.”

Both the undertrials who share Aaftab’s cell have been accused in a theft case and according to sources they have been asked to keep a close watch on him.

The jail sources also informed that Aaftab plans his own moves against himself and that is something the Delhi Police have been suspicious of from the very beginning “Aaftab is very cunning. His every move seems part of a well-planned conspiracy as if he is playing alone from both ends…”

Earlier, talking to ANI, one of the investigators in the case said that Aaftab had totally followed what the police told him to do. He confessed his crime, co-operated with police, and agreed to the polygraph and narco tests. But now the police are becoming suspicious of his “good” behaviour.

Apart from the ‘obedient’ behaviour of Aaftab, Delhi Police are suspecting the ‘rehearsed’ answers given by him. “Aaftab’s behaviour and good conduct are under question. How can there be one answer to each question? It looks like the accused has already rehearsed the answers,” officials said.

However, during the interrogation, Aaftab confessed that he used a Chinese chopper to dismember Shraddha’s body.

Delhi Police could do a brain mapping to read Aftab’s mind to find out what’s brewing inside. “We are still waiting for the DNA report, only after that will consider the Brain mapping test,” police said.

Initially, Aaftab was trying to misguide the Mumbai Police. But, once the case came under the jurisdiction of Delhi Police, he started confessing his crime. The police say they suspect it to be part of his “devious” scheme.

As per information, the jail authorities have increased the security outside Aaftab Poonawalla’s jail quarters, and deployed an additional guard outside his barrack, especially after an attack on a jail van ferrying Shraddha’s alleged killer outside the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Delhi’s Rohini.

The Tihar Jail Authority has also said that in view of the danger to Aftab inside the jail, “special vigil is being kept around his cell”, adding, “Aftab neither talks much to anyone nor does he mingle”.

According to jail officials, Aftab eats and sleeps on time as if he has no remorse for his actions.

“It seems from his actions that the murder of Shraddha Walkar was also a part of a deeper conspiracy like his chess strategies,” the jail sources stated.

Aaftab is accused of strangling to death his live-in partner and chopping her body into 35 pieces. He is also alleged to have preserved the chopped body parts in a refrigerator before dumping them in forested areas in Delhi and Gurugram.

Police had earlier said Aaftab, who confessed to killing Shraddha and chopping her body was giving misleading answers to questions.

Delhi Police had submitted in court that Aaftab was giving wrong information and was misleading the investigation. (ANI)