Shraddha Walkar murder: Doctor claims Aaftab visited clinic with injuries in May

A city-based doctor came forward on Wednesday and claimed that sometime in May, murder accused Aaftab Amin Poonawala (28) had visited his clinic for a wound - around the same time when he confessed to police about killing his partner Shraddha Vikas Walkar (27).

Dr Anil Kumar, who runs a clinic in Chhattarpur Mandi, told news agencies that he had recognised Poonawala after his photographs were flashed on newspapers following his arrest in the case.

Recalling Poonawala’s visit sometime in May, Dr Kumar told PTI, “In May, he came in the morning hours. My assistant told me that one person has come with an injury. When I saw him, I found it was not a deep injury but a superficial one. The underline structure was intact. When I asked him how he sustained this injury, he replied it was while he was cutting fruit. I did not have any doubt as it was a small clean knife cut.”

Also Read: Aaftab visited doctor to treat knife wound same month he killed live-in partner

Poonawala, who works at a call centre in Gurugram, was arrested by Delhi police after he allegedly confessed to strangling Shraddha six months ago, chopping her body into at least 35 pieces for over two days, storing them in a refrigerator for nearly three months while dumping the parts piece by piece in places near Chhattarpur and Qutub Minar.

Police suspect Aaftab may have visited the doctor on May 18, the day he strangled Shraddha or May 19, when he claimed to have begun chopping the body.

“My patients in this part of the city normally speak Hindi. When I asked him about the injury, he replied in English. The man appeared to be very confident. He spoke in English and told me he was from Mumbai and came to Delhi as the city has good opportunities in the IT sector and was getting a good salary. I remember this because my wife is also from Mumbai,” he said.

Dr Kumar said the man was aggressive, bold, and restless when he had come to the doctor for treatment.

“Two days ago, police brought him to my clinic and asked me if I recognised him. I confirmed this,” he said.

Apart from the doctor, police have recorded the statements of the couple’s mutual friend, Badri (identified only by his single name), who had helped them get the flat in Delhi; the owner of the shop from where Poonawala bought the fridge and also the shopkeeper from whose shop Poonawala had brought a hacksaw.

The couple, originally from Maharashtra, was staying as live-in partners in Vasai (West), Maharashtra until February 2022, before coming to Delhi after visiting places in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.