Aaftab Poonawalla's Parents "Hidden Somewhere": Shraddha Walkar's Father

The parents of Aaftab Poonawala, who allegedly murdered his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar and chopped her body into pieces, have been "hidden somewhere" and should be highlighted in the murder case, said the victim's father Vikas Walkar on Monday.

Talking to ANI, Vikas Walkar said, "His (Aftab) parents are not yet highlighted. I think they have been hidden somewhere. Where are they? I appeal to highlight them. We want to perform her (Shraddha) last rituals and I have appealed for her body parts."

Reiterating his demand for the death penalty for Aaftab, he said, "He should be given the death penalty. He is guilty. He committed this crime with full planning. There are loopholes in the investigation and proceedings due to which the case is delayed. I have asked my lawyer to appeal for fast-track proceedings in the case."

In March, Vikas Walkar said that one year of his daughter's murder will be completed in May but he has not been able to perform her last rites yet.

After attending a hearing in the murder case, he said, "One year of my daughter's murder will complete in May, and I have not been able to perform her last rites."

"I would perform the last rites after the accused is awarded the death sentence," he told ANI.

He also said that he is not in a position to perform the last rites as the body parts of her daughter will be handed over to him only after the conclusion of the trial.

Mr Walkar also said that he wants that the accused to be given a death sentence and the hearing should be conducted in a time-bound manner.

"We will be in a position to perform the last rites only after the conclusion of the trial. It is a question of when it will be concluded and whether I would be able to get the body parts of my daughter," he asked.

Advocate Seema Kushwaha, counsel for Vikas Walkar, said that the Nirbhaya case took seven years to reach its conclusion, But this case should not take years.

Audio-video recording of the online counselling was also played in the courtroom in the presence of Aaftab. The recordings made Mr Walkar emotional.

In the recording, Shraddha was heard saying, "He will hunt me, find me, and will kill me."

In one of the recordings, she was also confessing to the doctor (counsellor) that one-day Aaftab grabbed her throat. "I was totally blacked out and was not able to breathe," Shraddha could be heard in the recording.

Responding to this, Advocate Kushwaha said that in this manner the case would take years to be completed. "The hearing should be conducted in the time frame manner on a daily basis," she added.

"I will move a petition in the Delhi High Court as discussed with the father of Shraddha," she said.

She also said Vikas Walkar came from Mumbai to attend the hearing.