The next hearing of the case has been fixed on June 1

NEW-DELHI: Aftab Poonawala, who strangled his live-in partner Shraddha Walker, has been charged with murder and destruction of evidence by a court here on Tuesday. Additional Sessions Judge Manisha Khurana Kakkar said the accused was charged under sections 302 (murder) and 201 (disappearance of evidence of crime) of the Indian Penal Code.

Poonawala, however, denied the allegations and said he would face trial. The next hearing of the case has been fixed on June 1. After this, Shraddha's father said, "We think he should be hanged. I will appeal to the court to start the hearing as soon as possible". The Delhi Police had filed a 6,629-page charge sheet in this case on January 24.

Poonawala, allegedly killed Shraddha on May 18 last year, then dismembered Shraddha's body and kept it in a refrigerator at his residence in South Delhi's Mehrauli for nearly three weeks. Out of fear of being caught, Aftab threw these pieces in different areas of the national capital. On April 29, the court adjourned the order to frame charges against Aftab Poonawala as the judge concerned was on leave.

The court had adjourned the hearing till May 9 on a petition filed by Shraddha's father Vikas Walker, in which he appealed to the judge to hand over his daughter's body to the family for cremation as per tradition and culture. Additional Sessions Judge Manisha Khurana Kakkar had on April 15 reserved the decision on framing of charges for April 29 after hearing the arguments of the prosecution lawyers as well as the accused.