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.
Last week, the country had seen a surge with 18,450 fresh cases, a substantial rise from the previous week's 8,781 cases. The Omicron variant XBB.1.16 is believed to be behind the sudden surge of the cases.
As many as two dozen fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the fire and the operation lasted more than six hours. More than two dozen fire tenders are on the spot, trying to douse the inferno.
Officials of the central jail have not confirmed his release prematurely. Sidhu on May 20, 2022, surrendered before a court in Patiala in a 1988 road rage case that had led to the death of a 65-year-old man.
Out of total 36 people who died in the heart wrenching incident, the youngest victim was a two-year-old boy, Hitansh, while the eldest one was an 80-year-old woman identified as Jayvanti Devi, according to police. Most of the victims were women.
The Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday gave nod for hiking the compensation due to unseasonal rains by 25 per cent per acre. A decision to this effect was taken by the Council of Ministers at its meeting held here.
The court had, on March 20, sent him to judicial custody till April 3. Judge Nagpal observed that the payment of advance kickbacks of around Rs 90-100 crore was meant for him and his other colleagues in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.
