Poonawala assaulted Walkar often, her friends tell Delhi cops

The Delhi Police team has stopped its search operation for Shraddha Walkar’s mobile phone in the Bhayander creek, where Aaftab Poonawala claims he dumped the device.

Mumbai A Delhi Police team in Vasai, Maharashtra as part of the probe into the Shraddha Walkar’s murder case has interviewed several people who have stated that her boyfriend Aaftab Poonawala was physically abusive towards her, Maharashtra Police officers aware of the matter said on Tuesday.

Aaftab Poonawala being taken back from the Forensic Science Laboratory, where he was brought for a polygraph test, in New Delhi on Tuesday. (ANI)

Walkar, 27, and Poonawala, 28, had been living together in Vasai since 2019. In May this year, the couple moved to Delhi, and on May 18, Poonawala allegedly murdered Walkar, chopped up her body into at least 35 pieces, and dumped the body parts in forested areas in and around the Capital. Poonawala was arrested for Walkar’s murder on November 12.

According to a Maharashtra Police officer, at least 20 people who recorded their statements with Delhi Police officers have said that Poonawala physically abused Walkar.

“Many witnesses have confirmed that Poonawala had assaulted Shraddha on various occasions,” the officer said. “One of the witnesses told us that Poonawala hit Shraddha even without a reason or fight with her.”

Some people also said that he is “violent” and has an “attitude problem”, the officer said, on condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police team has stopped its search operation for Walkar’s mobile phone in the Bhayander creek, where Poonawala claims he dumped the device.

An officer, on condition of anonymity, said that the police team conducted a six-hour search operation with three divers in the creek but soon realised it was a very difficult task to retrieve the phone.

“Poonawala did go to the Bhayander creek on October 26, after he was questioned by the Manikpur police in Vasai in connection with Walkar’s disappearance, but it is not yet clear whether he threw the phone there... Poonawala has been constantly misleading investigating officers in Delhi by changing his statements of how and where he disposed Walkar’s clothes and mobile phone,” the officer said.