Can’t frame charges of murder and disappearance of evidence together, Aftab’s lawyer tells court

The charges of murder and disappearance of evidence can’t be framed together, the counsel of Aftab Poonawalla, accused of murdering his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar, argued in a court here on Friday.

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The charges of murder and disappearance of evidence can’t be framed together, the counsel of Aftab Poonawalla, accused of murdering his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar, argued in a court here on Friday. The court posted the case for April 3 after the Delhi police counsel sought time to respond.

Aftab, 28, is charged with killing Shraddha, 27, on May 18, dismembering her body, storing the pieces in a fridge and throwing them in the forests of Delhi and Haryana over a period of three months.

Aftab’s lawyer Akshay Bhandari said merely accusing his client of murder is not sufficient. Mr. Bhandari said the prosecution only has eyewitness statements to back its claim. “The prosecution has to show the manner in which the crime was committed,” Mr. Bhandari told the court.

In response, Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad said that in addition to eyewitness statements, the police had submitted a chain of evidence to establish the culpability of the accused, including records of past events and circumstances leading up to the alleged murder.

Meanwhile, the Delhi police also opposed a request by Shraddha’s father, Vikas Walkar, seeking copies of the audio-video evidence submitted by them to the court, saying that the evidence could be leaked, jeopardising the trial.

The court said it will consider Mr. Walkar’s request after the framing of charges.