Shraddha Walkar's friend Rajat Shukla questioned the delay in Aaftab Poonawala's trial after the Saket Court deferred the hearing, urging speedy justice for the victim's family

Days after a Delhi court deferred the hearing in the 2022 Shraddha Walkar murder case after accused Aaftab Amin Poonawala sought time to appear for his IGNOU examination, Shraddha's friend Rajat Shukla questioned the delay in the trial, saying justice had been denied to the victim's family.

Speaking to ANI, Shukla urged the judiciary to expedite the proceedings and opposed any relief being extended to Poonawala, who is facing trial for allegedly murdering his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar and dismembering her body in 2022.

"We must remember that Aftab is the same person who cut her body into 35 pieces so brutally. He still hasn't been hanged. Four years have passed since this happened. It's a great pity that Saket Court or any other court should show him any mercy. If mercy is to be shown, then you should show some mercy to the few remaining members of Shraddha's family," Shukla said.

He further claimed that Shraddha's last rites are yet to be performed as her mortal remains have not been returned. "Shraddha hasn't been cremated yet... Her body hasn't been returned yet, which is why her last rites haven't been performed," he alleged.

Shukla also criticised the pace of the criminal trial, expressing concern that despite the seriousness of the allegations, the proceedings had not concluded even after four years. "There are hundreds, lakhs, and crores of cases pending in the court... But in such a serious case like Shraddha's, four years have passed, and the trial hasn't even been conducted," he said.

Referring to the recent adjournment granted after Poonawala informed the court that he would be appearing for his Master of Arts (Sociology) examination at an IGNOU examination centre inside Tihar Jail, Shukla questioned the relief extended to the accused. "In this ongoing case involving Aftab, they're showing him mercy so he doesn't face any mental pressure during his exams. Why aren't people paying attention to his mentality? Does the judiciary have no responsibility left?" he remarked.

Shukla further argued that delays in high-profile criminal trials could embolden offenders. "After Aftab cut her into 35 pieces, many others cut people into many more pieces. Someone boiled someone in a cooker, someone burned and put someone in a drum," he said, adding that prolonged trials send an undesirable message regarding accountability for grave offences.

Calling the situation "shameful," he urged authorities to prioritise the case and ensure that justice is delivered without further delay.

His remarks came after the Saket Court cancelled the hearing scheduled for July 20 after Poonawala informed the court that it coincided with his university examination. The matter has since been adjourned.

Poonawala is facing trial for allegedly murdering Shraddha Walkar in May 2022. According to the prosecution, he allegedly strangled her, dismembered her body into multiple pieces and disposed of the remains over several days in the Mehrauli forest area.

The case came to light in November 2022 after Shraddha's family was unable to contact her and approached the police. An FIR was subsequently registered at Mehrauli Police Station, leading to Poonawala's arrest. Shraddha's father, Vikas Walkar, who had relentlessly pursued the case, passed away in 2025. The trial in the sensational murder case is presently pending before the Saket Court.

Background of the Case

It is to be noted that on July 8, a Delhi Court had cancelled a scheduled trial hearing in the Shraddha Walkar murder case on July 20 after the accused, Aaftab Amin Poonawala, sought an exemption from physical production to appear for his university examinations inside the prison.
Additional Sessions Judge Hargurvarinder Singh Jaggi of the Saket District Courts passed the order on July 8, 2026, upon an application moved by Poonawala.
Poonawala informed the court that he is scheduled to write his final M.A. Sociology examination, conducted by the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), on July 20, 2026.
According to the application, the examination is slated to take place between 2:00 P.M. and 5:00 P.M. at the IGNOU Exam Centre situated within Central Jail No. 03, Tihar, where he is currently lodged.
Taking note of the examination datesheet, spanning from July 11 to July 20, the court granted the exemption. 
"In view of the same, the next date i.e. 20.07.2026 stands cancelled" ASJ Jaggi stated in the order. The judge further directed that the recording of Prosecution Evidence (P.E.) will resume on July 21, 2026, at 2:00 P.M., clarifying that all other previously fixed dates for the trial will remain unchanged.
Earlier, on May 29, the ASJ Jaggi had directed that the trial will proceed on a day-to-day basis starting July 20. The matter was listed for recording prosecution evidence daily between July 20 and July 25, after which dates for August were to be fixed. The case has been pending since 2023.
On May 9, 2023, a Delhi Court had framed charges of murder and disappearance of evidence against Aftab Amin Poonawala, who is accused of strangling his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar and chopping her body into pieces. Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Manisha Khurana Kakkar of the Saket Court framed charges against Poonawala under Sections 302 (Murder) and 201 (Disappearance of Evidence) of the Indian Penal Code.
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