Shraddha Walkar Murder Case: Delhi Court Defers Hearing As Aaftab Amin Poonawala Appears For Final MA Exam In Tihar Jail

New Delhi: A Delhi court has allowed the cancellation of proceedings in the Shraddha Walkar murder case on July 20 after accused Aaftab Amin Poonawala informed that he would be appearing for his final MA Sociology examination at Tihar Jail on that day.

Additional Sessions Judge Hargurvarinder Singh Jaggi noted that Poonawala's examinations, conducted by Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), are scheduled from July 11 to July 20 at the examination centre inside Central Jail No. 3, Tihar, where he is lodged as an undertrial prisoner.

In an order dated July 8, the court said, "Accused/UTP Aaftab Amin Poonawala stated in his application that he is scheduled to appear for his M.A. Sociology last exam on July 20, 2026 from 02:00P.M. till 05:00P.M. at IGNOU Exam Centre located at Central Jail No. 03, Tihar. (date sheet of examination scheduled from July 11, 2026 till July 20, 2026)." Poonawala had moved an application seeking exemption from physical production before the court on July 20, saying that his final examination would be held from 2 pm to 5 pm on that day.

Accepting the plea, the court cancelled the July 20 hearing and directed that prosecution evidence be recorded from July 21 onwards at 2 pm, while the remaining dates fixed earlier would continue.

The court had earlier scheduled the matter for day-to-day recording of prosecution evidence from July 20 to July 25. Dates for proceedings in August are yet to be decided. According to the prosecution, eight witnesses are yet to be examined.

The chief examination of 13 prosecution witnesses has been partly recorded, while the testimony of 12 witnesses was deferred.

Walkar, a 27-year-old call centre employee, was allegedly murdered by her live-in partner Poonawala in May 2022.

The prosecution alleged that he strangled her, chopped her body into multiple pieces, stored them in a refrigerator and disposed of them over several days in different parts of Delhi.

Poonawala, who had rented a flat in Delhi's Mehrauli where the alleged murder took place, was arrested on November 12, 2022.

The prosecution alleged that he dumped Walkar's body parts in a forested area after the killing.

The trial in the case has been pending since 2023. Walkar's father, Vikas Walkar, who had pursued the case after her death, passed away in 2025. 

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