Aaftab Poonawala withdraws bail plea, cites ‘communication gap’ with lawyer

The court asked the counsel to make sure that he explains all the legal formalities and procedure to Poonawala for future, while recording that there has been a communication gap between the accused and his lawyer

Aaftab Poonawala, accused in the murder of his girlfriend, Shraddha Walkar, on Thursday withdrew his bail application at a city court, citing “communication gap” with his lawyer.

Aaftab Poonawala, 28, allegedly murdered Walkar in May, chopped her body into 35 pieces, kept them in a refrigerator for almost three weeks at his residence in south Delhi’s Mehrauli, and dumped them across the city over three months. (HT Photo)

Additional sessions judge Vrinda Kumari allowed Poonawala to withdraw the petition after, Poonawala, who appeared through video conferencing, told the court that he was not pressing for bail and that he wanted to withdraw the petition.

When the judge asked Poonawala again, his counsel MS Khan told the court that he had a long one hour meeting with his client this week, where they have decided to retract the bail application.

The court asked the counsel to make sure that he explains all the legal formalities and procedure to Poonawala for future, while recording that there has been a communication gap between the accused and his lawyer.

On December 17, the court had granted time to Poonawala’s counsel to interact with him and take a decision on whether they want his bail application to be heard or withdrawn.

Poonawala told the court that even though he had signed the ‘Vakalatnama’, he was not aware that a bail application would be filed on his behalf.

When the court asked him whether the bail plea should be kept pending, he agreed and said that he would take a call after an interaction with his lawyer.

Khan, the newly appointed private counsel for Poonawala, told the court that he will seek instructions, following which the judge adjourned the matter for December 22.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police have moved the court seeking the voice samples of Poonawala. The matter will be heard on December 23.

Poonawala, 28, allegedly murdered Walkar in May, chopped her body into 35 pieces, kept them in a refrigerator for almost three weeks at his residence in south Delhi’s Mehrauli, and dumped them across the city over three months.