If they had helped me, my daughter would have been alive: Shraddha's father accuses Maha Police of showing lack of seriousness

Mumbai, Dec 9: Appearing for the first time in front of the media since her daughter, Shraddha Walkar's brutal murder by his live-in boyfriend Aftab, her father Vikas Walkar accused the Maharashtra police of showing lack of "seriousness" towards the heinous crime. He also sought death penalty for Aaftab Poonawalla in the case and also demanded a probe against the family members and relatives of the accused.

 

 

 

 

Vikas Walkar claimed that Vasai Police showed "laxity" in the investigation of the case, but, hailed the combined probe by the Delhi Police and the Vasai Police.

 

"The combined probe conducted by Delhi Police and Vasai police is going good. Still, Vasai Police, and Nalasopara Police showed laxity in the investigation which is unfortunate. Delhi Police assured us that we will get justice. My daughter was brutally murdered. I faced many problems because of the Vasai police, if they had helped me, my daughter would have been alive," Vikas said while addressing a joint press conference with BJP leader Kirit Somaiya here.

 

"I expect a similar lesson for Aaftab Poonwala in the way he murdered my daughter. He should be hanged. A probe should be conducted against Aftab's family members, relatives and all others included in the incident," he said.

 

 

He also called for restrictions on dating apps. "There should also be restrictions on some mobile apps. Children older than 18 yrs of age should be somewhat controlled and they should be given counselling. What happened to me shouldn't happen to anyone else. I tried to talk with my daughter but she didn't respond to me in the last two years. I was never told what was happening with my daughter," he said. "Aaftab pursued Shraddha to make up her mind to leave. It was because of dating apps that Shraddha came in contact with Aaftab," he added.

 

Vikas claimed that he had a conversation with Shraddha in 2021 and Aaftab on September 26, however, he did not tell him about her whereabouts. "The last time I had a conversation with Shraddha was in 2021.We talked about her whereabouts, she said that she was living in Bengaluru. I talked to Aaftab on September 26 when I asked him about my daughter, but he didn't give an answer on it," Vikas said.

 

He said that he was against the relationship of Shraddha and Aaftab and was unaware of the violence that she was subjected to. "I was against the relationship of Shraddha Walker and Aaftab Poonawala. I was unaware of the domestic violence Shraddha was subjected to by Aaftab. I feel, his family members knew everything about what he was doing with her," he said.

 

It should be noted an image of her complaint that was lodged against him at the Tulinj police station on November 23, 2020 is going viral. In the complaint registered by Shraddha with the signature of Tulinj police on it, she said that Aftab wanted to strangle her and threatened to cut her into pieces which he actually did two years later. She had also mentioned that Aftab's family knew that he use to beat her and wanted to kill her.

 

“He scares and blackmails me that he will kill me, cut me up in pieces and throw me away. His parents are aware that he beats me and that he tried to kill me. They also know about us living together and they visit us on weekends. I lived with him till date as we were supposed to get married anytime soon and had the blessings of his family,” read the complaint letter, hand-written by Walker.

 

 

Earlier today, Saket Court in Delhi extended the judicial custody of Aaftab Amin Poonawala for 14 days said officials. He was produced through video conferencing in the court today.The 28-year-old, who dismembered Shraddha's body and stored the chopped body parts in a refrigerator before disposing of them in the forests of south Delhi's Chhatarpur, is currently in Judicial custody.

 

Aaftab is accused of strangling to death his live-in partner Shraddha and chopping her body into 35 pieces. He is also alleged to have preserved the chopped body parts in a refrigerator before dumping them in forested areas in Delhi and Gurugram.

 

Police had earlier said Aaftab, who confessed to killing Shraddha and chopping her body into 35 pieces, was giving misleading answers to questions. Delhi Police had submitted in court that Aaftab was giving wrong information and was misleading the investigation.