'No money to buy winter clothes': Aaftab seeks release of debit, credit cards

BySwati Bhasin | Reported by Deepankar Malviya, New Delhi

Jan 06, 2023 08:08 PM IST

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Aaftab Poonawala has been in custody since November 9.

Aaftab Poonawala - the accused in the murder of his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar - has moved a court in Delhi, seeking release of his credit and debit cards while the probe in the case continues. On Friday, his judicial custody was extended by another four days. He will be produced physically for the next hearing on January 10.

Aaftab Poonawala, 28, has been accused of killing his girlfriend Shraddha Walkar, 27, at their flat in south Delhi’s Chhatarpur Pahadi on May 18 this year. (ANI)

Poonawala's new application - amid the murder probe - has been moved by advocate MS Khan before the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Aviral Shukla. The accused has told the court he has no money with him to buy clothes for the winter season. His debit and credit cards enable the accused to buy clothes and day-to-day articles in the winter season, the plea further underlines.

“The accused is suffering from harsh winter in Tihar Jail and there are no adequate garments for winter, so there are urgent neccessities of funds to purchase day-to-day items as well as winter clothes,” it reads.

Aaftab Poonawala has been in the custody of authorities since November 9 in the murder of his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar. The killing had sent shockwaves across the nation. Walkar was killed in May, and post that, her body was chopped into pieces. Poonawala has been accused of disposing off the dismembered body in forest areas. The case has yet again raised serious concerns about crimes against women.

Poonawala's bail plea was previously dismissed amid deepening probe.

HT reported on Wednesday that DNA samples - extracted from bones and hair fragments found in forested areas in south Delhi’s Qutub Minar and Chhattapur -have matched with Walkar’s father and brother, officials aware with the details said.

“The exhibits were sent for DNA mitrocondrial profiling. The DNA from bones and hair matched with Walkar’s father and brother. This establishes the bone and hair to be that of Shraddha Walkar. The bones will now be sent for post-mortem examination to be conducted by a medical board at AIIMS," Special commissioner of police Sagar Preet Hooda said.

(With inputs from bureau and ANI)