Mehrauli murder: Delhi court frames murder, disappearance of evidence charges against Poonawala
Darpan News Desk IANS, 09 May, 2023 10:41 AM
New Delhi, May 9 (IANS) A Delhi court on Tuesday framed charges in the Mehrauli murder case against Aaftab Amin Poonawala, accused of strangling his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar and then chopping her body into several pieces.
Additional Sessions Judge Manisha Khurana Kakkar of Saket Courts has framed charges under Sections 302 (Murder) and 201 (Disappearance of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against Poonawala.
"Prima facie case of Section 302 is made out and charges will be framed," ASJ Khurana said.
The judge added that to screen himself from punishment, Poonawala cut Walkar's body and threw it at various places therefore committing offence under Section 201of IPC.
Poonawala pleaded not guilty of Walker's murder and the matter has now been set for trial and has been listed for recording of prosecution evidence on June 1.
The Delhi Police had earlier told the court that incriminating circumstances are clearly revealed through reliable and clinching evidence and they form a chain of events.
A charge sheet running over 6,000 pages was filed in the case.
The official added that a case was registered on September 25, 2020, against the private firm and others on the allegations of causing losses to the tune of Rs 2040.63 crore to the consortium of 12 banks led by PNB.
The CBI had registered a case on April 13, 2016 on the request of Chandigarh Administration and had taken over the investigation of the FIR earlier registered at Police Station, Sector-26, Chandigarh.
Bishnoi, who was brought from New Delhi after procuring the transit remand from Patiala House court, was produced in a Mansa court in Punjab at around 4 a.m. amid high-level security after his medical check-up.
The police have also recovered an illegal weapon and live cartridge from the criminal. The accused has been identified as Aakash, a native of Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh.
The Punjab Police informed Delhi Police that the location of one of the phone numbers was traced to Delhi, and that the accused were changing their locations frequently. Acting on the tip-off, Delhi Police followed the leads obtained through technical surveillance and digital footprints.
