Shraddha Walkar's father testifies in court on her birthday, says ‘Aaftab cut body in toilet, then…’

Trigger warning: Some readers may find details of this report disturbing. Discretion is advised.

On August 5, which marks the birth anniversary of Shraddha Walkar, her father Vikas Madan Walkar testified in a court in New Delhi. The court was recording the statements of the witnesses in connection with Walkar's sensational killing by her live-in-partner Aaftab Amin Poonawala last year.

Vikas said in the court that Poonawala had disclosed to him that he chopped the body of Shraddha into pieces in the toilet after killing her and then threw the pieces in a forested area near Chhattarpur, reported news agency ANI.

28-year-old Poonawala, who was in a live-in relationship with Shraddha, had strangulated the latter on May 18 last year. The accused then dismembered Shraddha's body, stored the body parts in a fridge and gradually threw them at desolate places across Delhi.

The statement of Vikas, who is the case's key prosecution witness, was recorded by additional sessions judge Manisha Khurana Kakkar on Saturday (August 5). His cross-examination was deferred by the court on August 9 after recording his examination.

While recording the statement, Vikas also said that 13 bones were discovered by the Delhi Police, which included a pelvic bone from a place that was identified by the accused in the investigation.

'Chopped pieces were kept in trash bags inside the fridge'

The refrigerator, which was brought inside the court during the hearing to be exhibited as evidence, was also identified by Vikas. Some wooden pieces were also submitted in the court as evidence, with suspected blood stains on them.

In the court, Vikas said that Poonawala packed the chopped pieces in trash bags and kept them in the fridge, before disposing them. He said that the trash bag would be removed by Poonawala from the fridge and kept on a shelf in the kitchen, whenever his new girlfriend visited him.

Vikas further identified other evidence related to the murder case. In the courtroom, audio and video clips of conversations held between Shraddha and Poonwala were also played.

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Shraddha's father was cross-examined for two hours by advocate Akshay Bhandari, the counsel for the accused. His cross-examination will now be recorded on August 9. Vikas had earlier claimed that Poonawala had told him that he had "strangulated" her with “his own hands”, reported news agency PTI.

Vikas further testified that he visited the Mehrauli police station on November 11, 2022, where he was questioned by the police officials if he recognised Poonawala.

"I replied in the affirmative and said this is Poonawala, who was living with my daughter for the last three years. I also informed the police that he quarrelled with my daughter and beat her up on several occasions," said Vikas.

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