Shraddha Walkar friend criticizes Saket Court trial delay and Aaftab Poonawala exam

On Sunday, a friend of murder victim Shraddha Walkar criticized the slow pace of the trial against accused Aaftab Amin Poonawala and objected to the Saket Court allowing him to take an MA examination from Tihar Jail.

Speaking to the media, Rajat Shukla urged the judiciary to expedite the trial, stating that justice has been significantly delayed for Walkar's family.

The remarks followed the Saket Court's decision to cancel a July 20 hearing after Poonawala informed the court that he would be appearing for his MA in Sociology examination at an IGNOU centre inside Tihar Jail on the same day.

Shukla questioned the relief granted to Poonawala, arguing that the accused should not be shown mercy. He noted that four years have passed since the incident, yet the trial remains incomplete.

According to Shukla, the delay has also prevented the family from performing Walkar's last rites. He claimed that her mortal remains have still not been returned to her family.

"Shraddha hasn't been cremated yet," Shukla said. "Her body hasn't been returned yet, which is why her last rites haven't been performed."

Poonawala is facing trial for allegedly murdering his live-in partner, Shraddha Walkar, in May 2022. Investigators allege that Poonawala strangled Walkar, dismembered her body, and disposed of her remains in a forested area in Delhi.

The case came to light in November 2022 after Walkar's family contacted the police when they were unable to reach her. Walkar's father, Vikas Walkar, passed away in 2025.

Shukla expressed concern that the slow pace of the judicial process sends the wrong message to society and fails to hold perpetrators of violent crimes accountable. He criticized the judiciary for taking long vacations while serious cases remain unresolved.