Additional sitting judge Manisha Khuranakarkar heard the arguments against the charges against the accused and she also directed the relevant authorities to ensure the safety of Punnawala.
Posted Date – 09:45 AM, Sat – 4/1/23
New Delhi: Aftab Amin Poonawala is accused of strangling his common-law partner Shraddha Walkar, cutting her body into pieces and storing them in a freezer before dumping them in the forest, his lawyer complained in court on Friday. more than three months. His client was “managed” during his appearance in court.
Additional sitting judge Manisha Khuranakarkar heard the arguments against the charges against the accused and she also directed the relevant authorities to ensure the safety of Punnawala.
“The Director of Detention, the Sackett Court, as well as the Warden have all been directed to ensure the safe attendance of the accused during court productions,” she said.
Delhi Police had earlier told the court that through reliable and conclusive evidence, the circumstances of the crime could be clearly revealed and a sequence of events formed.
Poonawala was registered under Sections 302 and 201 of the Indian Penal Code for murder and causing the disappearance of evidence of a crime, respectively.
Lawyers for the defendants argued on Friday that Section 201 can only be invoked against people who screen criminals, not people accused of major crimes.
Special prosecutor Amit Prasad, arguing on behalf of the police, said he would enter a sentence on that argument.
During the hearing, the victim’s father, Vikas Walkar, had asked the court to provide audiovisual evidence attached to the charge sheet.
The Supreme Prosecutor’s Office opposed the request, saying dissemination of such material to the media would bias the accused.
If offered, conditions should be imposed on not disseminating it to anyone, he said.
The court has listed the matter as further proceedings on April 3.
SPP Prasad had earlier said that the accused was a trained cook at Taj Hotel and knew to preserve meat.
Poonawala also ordered dry ice, agarbatti and more after killing Shraddha Walker, police said.
After committing the crime, he entered into a new relationship and gave his new girlfriend a ring, police added.
On February 21, the Municipal Court transferred the case to the Sessions Court to start the trial procedure.
Metropolitan Magistrate Aviral Shukla had said: “Document review has been completed… Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (murder) can only be tried by the Sessions Court.”
The court heard the 6,000-page charge sheet filed by Delhi Police against Poonawala on February 7.
