The trial in the sensational Shraddha Walkar murder case is set to gather pace after a Delhi court ordered daily hearings from July 20 in a bid to ensure the long-pending matter moves forward without further delays. The direction was issued by the Saket Court, which has scheduled consecutive dates for the recording of prosecution evidence and indicated that the proceedings would continue on a fast-track basis. The case, which has remained under intense public scrutiny since it first came to light in 2022, is currently at the stage of examining prosecution witnesses.
Court pushes for faster proceedings
According to Law Beat, Additional Sessions Judge Hargurvarinder Singh Jaggi directed that hearings be conducted daily between July 20 and July 25. The court noted that several prosecution witnesses are yet to be examined, while the testimony of others remains incomplete.
During the latest hearing, evidence of a police witness was recorded. However, cross-examination could not be completed after the defence sought additional time to review case-related material. The court nevertheless made it clear that the trial should proceed without unnecessary interruptions and set a schedule to ensure steady progress.
The judge also observed that if the defence counsel faced difficulty attending daily proceedings due to other professional commitments, the accused was free to engage another lawyer.
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Video conferencing plea under consideration
According to Law Beat, the prosecution informed the court that applications seeking permission to examine several witnesses through video conferencing are still pending. These include representatives and nodal officers linked to major technology and digital platforms.
The defence chose not to file objections to the applications. The court has reserved its order on the issue and is expected to pronounce its decision on June 1. If approved, the move could help streamline the recording of evidence from witnesses located outside India and speed up the overall trial process.
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Case that shocked the nation
According to Law Beat, Aftab Amin Poonawala is facing trial for the alleged murder of his live-in partner, Shraddha Walkar, in May 2022. Investigators alleged that he killed her and later dismembered her body before disposing of the remains at multiple locations across Delhi.
Charges of murder and destruction of evidence were formally framed against Poonawala in 2023. He pleaded not guilty and opted to face trial.
