Shraddha Walkar Case: Delhi Police Prepares 3,000-Page Charge Sheet, 100 Witnesses Included, Say Reports

The Delhi Police is preparing a charge sheet stretching up to 3,000 pages in the Shraddha Walkar murder case, according to reports.

The reports also say that the draft charge sheet has up to 100 testimonies along with electronic and other forensic investigative details. 

Shraddha, 26, was allegedly murdered by her live-in partner Aaftab Poonawalla in May last year at their home in South Delhi's Mehrauli. After he killed her, Aaftab allegedly chopped Shraddha's body in 35 pieces and disposed off the pieces in batches in forests of Delhi. 

Here we detail what the draft chargesheet contains and what we know about the Shraddha murder case so far.

Police draft charge sheet in Shraddha case

The draft charge sheet of around 3,000 pages contains electronic and other forensic investigation details, according to reports.

It also contains Aaftab Poonawalla's confession to the police and the findings of the narco test. However, it's unlikely to be admissible in the court.

"The confession of Aftab Poonawala and the report of the narco test are also included, although both these reports may not hold much importance in court. From a prosecution standpoint, Poonawala’s confession to police would not have been enough for a conviction," notes India Today. 

The report adds that the draft charge sheet has around 100 testimonies. The DNA tests of Shraddha Walkar's body parts recovered in forests are also part of the charge sheet, reports India Today.

It reports, "Bones recovered from the forests of Chhatarpur and the DNA report which confirmed that the bones belonged to Shraddha Walkar will form part of the charge sheet. Two DNA reports had confirmed that bones retrieved from forests in South Delhi belong to Walkar...The key breakthrough came when 13 decomposed body parts, mostly pieces of bones, were retrieved from the forests of south Delhi."

The NDTV noted that Aaftab is in judicial custody since November. 

"The 28-year-old has been in judicial custody since November last year. Aaftab, sources say, had earlier told a Delhi court that he had killed his partner Shraddha Walkar 'in the heat of the moment'," reports NDTV.

All we know so far in Shraddha Walkar case

Aaftab Poonawalla allegedly killed Shraddha Walkar in May at their home in South Delhi. Following her killing, he allegedly chopped her body in 35 pieces and disposed off the party in forests of Delhi. Until the parts of disposed off, they were stored in their fridge in their home. Aaftab was arrested in November after the police began investigation based on the complaint of Shraddha' father Vikas Walkar. He had not heard from Shraddha for months and reached out to the police. 

Shraddha and Aaftab were natives of Vasai in Maharashtra's Palghar. They met each other in 2019 on online dating platform Bumble. As Shraddha's family was opposed to the inter-faith relationship, the two first moved to Mumbai and then to Delhi, as per reports.

The Delhi Police investigation has also been apread across states. Teams have visited Maharashtra, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. It has also emerged that Shraddha had flagged Aaftab's abusive behaviour earlier as well. In Maharashtra, the Delhi Police recorded statements of four persons. Of these four persons, two were men from whom Shraddha had sought assistance after she was assaulted by Aaftab in 2020, said officials earlier. The third was a former manager of the call centre in Mumbai where Shraddha worked and the fourth was a female friend of hers.

Earlier, an official said the two male witnesses whose statements were recorded are identified as Rahul Ray and Godwin. Both of them are residents of Vasai region one of them is a rickshaw driver and the other is currently unemployed. Shraddha had sought their assistance in 2020 after she was beaten up by Aaftab near Vasai and the duo had helped her at the time.

Shraddha Walkar's complaint in Maharashtra

During the Shraddha Walkar murder case investigation, it emerged that Shraddha had filed a police complaint in Palghar in 2020 after Aaftab allegedly assaulted her at the time.

In her complaint at Tulinj Police Station in Palghar, Shraddha said Aaftab had beaten her and had threatened to kill her. The assults had been going on for six months at the time, as per a media report. 

Earlier, the Maharashtra government tasked a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the "inaction" on Shraddha's 2020 complaint. However, the Maharashtra Police said the case in 2020 was closed after Shraddha withdrew her complaint at the time.

DCP Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar Suhas Bavache said that Shraddha had given a written statement saying "the dispute between herself and Aaftab Poonawala was resolved", according to ANI. The complaint was then closed.

"Whatever necessary action had to be taken in that matter was done by police at that time. The application that was given by the complainant was also investigated. After the investigation, the complainant herself gave a written statement that there is no dispute. Her friend's parents also cajoled her to resolve the dispute. She gave the written statement and after that the case was closed," said Bawche, as per ANI.

(With PTI inputs)