An Investigation into the gruesome murder of Shraddha Walker has revealed that the accused Aftab Ameen Poonawalla used her Instagram account till June to give an impression of her being alive, said an official on Tuesday.
Poonawalla was arrested on Saturday for killing his live-in partner on May 18 in the Mehrauli area of the national capital and chopping the body into 35 pieces before dumping them at Mehrauli forest area over a period of 18 days. Investigators said that the police teams are scanning his phone to know more details.
"He was using her Instagram account to avoid any suspicion by her friends," said an official, adding that police teams are checking his mobile phone details.
The family of 26-year-old Shraddha claimed that sometimes, she used to inform her mother that Aftab beats her.
Also Read | Mehrauli Murder: Inspired by 'Dexter', accused bought refrigerator to store body parts
According to the FIR, the family of the victim disagreed with the relationship, following which she said that she was 25 and had the right to take her own decisions.
"Later, she left the house and was living with Aftab. Sometimes, she used to inform her mother that Aftab beats her. Around 15 to 20 days after her mother's death in 2020, she called her father and informed the same," the FIR stated.
"She met me and when I asked her to leave Poonawala and return home, Poonawalla apologised to her and she went back with him. She did not listen to my request due to which I stopped talking to her for several months, " the FIR stated.
The victim's parents have been separated since 2016. In 2018, Sharddha's father got to know that she was in a relationship with Poonawala.
Police said that after chopping the woman's body into pieces on May 18, the accused bought a brand new refrigerator with large storage capacity the next day and stored the body pieces in it. To counter the stench, he lit incense sticks at his home.
Aftab was reportedly inspired by the American crime show 'Dexter', which tells the story of a man with homicidal tendencies who lives a double life.
Also Read | Delhi: Woman's body cut into 35 pieces, dumped at various places; accused nabbed
Being a trained chef, Aftab was adept at using the knife, said sources. However, the knife used in the crime is yet to be recovered. Aftab was taken to the Mehrauli forest area by the police on Monday to collect the body parts which he had disposed of there.
He had thrown the body pieces at various locations over a period of 18 days. To avoid suspicion, he used to leave his house with a body part in a polybag at around 2 a.m.
Mehrauli murder: Accused again taken to forest area to recover victim's remains
For a second time, a Delhi Police team on Tuesday took accused Aftab Ameen Poonawalla to the Mehrauli forest area to recover the remains of Shraddha Walker, his live-in partner who he murdered and chopped the body into 35 pieces.
Police sources said that they have found some bones in the forest area which is being sent for examination.
He was first taken to the area on Monday.
The police said that after chopping the body of his 27-year-old girlfriend into pieces on May 18, the accused bought a brand new refrigerator with a large storage capacity the next day and stored the remains in it.
Also Read | Mehrauli Murder: Inspired by 'Dexter', accused bought refrigerator to store body parts
To counter the stench, he lit incense sticks at his home.
Aftab was reportedly inspired by the American crime show 'Dexter', which tells the story of a man with homicidal tendencies who lives a double life.
Being a trained chef, Aftab was adept at using the knife, said sources.
However, the knife used in the crime is yet to be recovered.
He had thrown the body pieces at various locations over a period of 18 days. To avoid suspicion, he used to leave his house with a body part in a polybag at around 2 a.m.
The matter came to light on November 8 when the victim's father along with a police team from Palghar, Maharashtra, came to the Mehrauli police station regarding a missing complaint.
10 samples suspected to be human remains collected from Mehrauli forest area
In its ongoing search to recover the remains of 27 year-old Shraddha Walker who was murdered by her live-in partner Aftab Ameen Poonawalla, a Delhi Police team on Tuesday collected 10 samples suspected to be human from the Mehrauli forest area.Sources said that the samples have been sent for forensic examination, and if they are confirmed to be human, it will be matched with the DNA of the victim's father.
"Further search is going on to find more evidences," said the sources
For a second time on Tuesday morning, the police team took Aftab to the Mehrauli forest area to recover the remains of the victim's body which the accused chopped into 35 pieces.
He was first taken to the area on Monday.
Also read | Delhi: Woman's body cut into 35 pieces, dumped at various places; accused nabbed
The police said that after chopping the body on May 18, the accused bought a new refrigerator with a large storage capacity the next day and stored the remains in it.
To counter the stench, he lit incense sticks at his home.
Aftab was reportedly inspired by the American crime show 'Dexter', which tells the story of a man with homicidal tendencies who lives a double life.
Being a trained chef, the accused was adept at using a knife, according to the sources.
However, the murder weapon is yet to be recovered.
Also read | Delhi Police grills ex-consultant of 'The Wire' in 'fake news' case
He had thrown the body pieces at various locations over a period of 18 days. To avoid suspicion, he used to leave his house with a body part in a polybag at around 2 a.m.
The matter came to light on November 8 when the victim's father along with a police team from Palghar, Maharashtra, came to the Mehrauli police station to register a missing complaint.
