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Synopsis

Aaftab Poonawala, the accused of the heinous Shraddha Walkar Murder Case has changed his lawyer for the second time in this matter. Earlier a public prosecutor was appointed to him but he appointed Advocate Akshay Bhandari as his new lawyer.

Additional Sessions Judge Manisha Khurana Kakkar of Saket District Court, New Delhi on Saturday noted that the accused had appointed a new advocate in place of legal aid counsel provided by the court earlier.

The new advocate sought time to respond against the prosecution’s arguments for framed charges. Further, he seeks adjournment to address arguments on charges.

The judge provided “last opportunity to newly appointed advocate of Aaftab Poonawala on the ground that he is engaged recently with this matter and the judge made it very clear that no further opportunity will be provided”

Meanwhile, the victim’s father Vikash Walkar and Complainant Vikash Walkar filed an application to attend the proceedings through video conferencing, which the court allowed.

The Delhi Police had told the court on March 20 2023 when they concluded their arguments on framing of charges that there are "incriminating circumstances revealed through reliable and clinching evidence that form a chain of events.”

Aaftab Poonawala was charged with the offence of Murder (section 302) and causing the disappearance of evidence of offence or giving false information to screen offender (section 201) of the Indian Penal Code.

According to the charge sheet, Poonawala murdered his live-in partner Shradhha Walkar on May 18, last year, and sawed her body into multiple parts, which he kept in a fridge for about three weeks at his home in Mehrauli, south Delhi.

He then allegedly spread the remains across Delhi over several days, some of which have subsequently been found. On January 24, the Delhi Police issued a 6,629-page charge sheet.

The Court further listed this matter to be heard on March 31, 2023.

Source: The India Today