In the latest update in the horrific Shraddha murder case that sent shockwaves across the country, it has been learnt that accused Aftab Amin Poonawala had tried to dupe Delhi and Mumbai Police during the initial phase of the investigation. Aftab attempted to cover up the murder of Shraddha by removing all material evidence; however, he somehow left digital evidence, which the police used to ascertain the truth of the case and expose the lies told by Aftab.
During Delhi Police’s initial investigation in the case, initially Aftab Amin told the police that Shraddha left his flat on May 22, after the two had a fight. Back then, he said that Shraddha had left all her belongings in his flat and only carried her phone while leaving. He further claimed that since then, the two did not come in contact, ANI reported citing police sources.
However, while checking the phone call records of Aftab and Shraddha and investigating their locations, the police uncovered the truth.
The police obtained the bank statement of both Shraddha and Aftab, which showed a transaction of Rs 54,000 from Shraddha’s net banking account app to Aftab’s account on May 26. The said transaction exposed Aftab’s lies, in which he previously stated that Shraddha was unreachable after May 22 and that he was not in contact with her.
Upon tracing, the location of the May 26 bank transaction turned out to be the Mehrauli police station area, which made police question Aftab if Shraddha took her phone while leaving, how can its location be traced to his flat. To this Aftab had no answer, and ultimately he confessed to his crime after further questioning by police.
Accused Aftab told the police that he kept Shraddha’s Instagram account updated for a month (til June) after killing her, in order “to preempt doubts about her well-being and keep her alive in the eyes of her family and friends.”
Aftab had made up his mind to kill her a week before the murder
Aftab Amin Poonawalla, who murdered his Hindu live-in partner and chopped her body into 35 pieces, told the police about his plans to kill Shraddha more than a week before the murder.
“More than a week before murdering Shraddha on May 18, 2022, I had made up my mind to kill Shraddha. Even on that day, we had a fight. I was determined to kill her but suddenly she became emotional and started crying. So I held back for later,” ANI reported quoting a Delhi Police source citing Aftab’s confession.
Blood stains were discovered in the kitchen of accused Aftab Amin Poonawalla’s flat in Chhatarpur, Delhi. The blood samples have been sent to be tested in order to determine whose blood it is. The victim’s father is expected to be called by the police for DNA testing, and blood and bone samples from the recovered body parts will be sent to Forensic Light Source (FLS) for matching. After that, a DNA test will be conducted.
The ‘Love Jihad’ angle
Vikas Madan Walkar, father of victim Shraddha has expressed suspicion of a ‘love jihad’ angle in the case and demanded the death penalty for the accused.
While speaking to ANI about the same he said, “I suspected a love jihad angle. We demand the death penalty for Aftab. I trust Delhi Police and the probe moving in the right direction. Shraddha was close to her uncle and didn’t talk to me much. I was never in touch with Aftab. I lodged the first complaint in Mumbai’s Vasai.”
From chopping meat as a chef to chopping his live-in partner as a monster
Reportedly, the accused had earlier worked as a chef in a Mumbai-based restaurant. During the chef training, he was taught how to cut meat into small pieces and preserve them in refrigeration. The job had also taught him tips and tricks to maintain cleanliness after chopping the meat. According to the police, Aftab’s former job as a chef helped him clinically chop Shraddha’s dead body into 35 pieces.
The accused has been arrested and a case under IPC section 302 (murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of an offence committed) have been registered. Further investigations into the case are going on.
