'Made up my mind to kill Shraddha a week before May 18, held back because...': Aftab tells Police

Aftab Amin Poonawalla, who killed his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar and chopped her body into 35 pieces, said she had trust issues because of which she would often get angry, leading to frequent quarrels.

New Delhi: The accused in the horrific murder of Shraddha Walkar, Aftab Amin Poonawalla, who killed his live-in partner and chopped her body into 35 pieces before dumping them in the forests of south Delhi`s Chhatarpur, said he had made up his mind to kill his girlfriend more than a week before the murder, Delhi Police sources told ANI on Tuesday.

"More than a week before the murder (May 18), I had made up my mind to kill Shraddha. Even on that day, Shraddha and I had a fight. I was determined to kill her when she suddenly became emotional and started crying. So I held back for later," a Delhi Police source quoted Aftab as saying in his confession.

Aftab said his partner had trust issues because of which she would often get angry, leading to frequent quarrels.

"I often had to talk to someone over the phone. However, she would doubt my commitment to the relationship every time she caught me speaking over on the phone. She used to get very angry," Aftab told Delhi Police.

Police said on further investigation, it was learnt that the couple had a fight on May 18 during which Aftab killed Shraddha.

"I was scared as I knew that if I dumped the body somewhere, I might be caught. I browsed Google all night to search for ways to dispose of the body and not arouse any suspicion. I also searched the internet on what kind of chopper would I have to use to piece the body," the Delhi Police source quoted Aftab as saying.

Aftab also confessed to his fondness for watching web series and shows related to crime and it was from these shows that he borrowed ideas on preserving the chopped-off body parts and disposing of them later, police said, adding that he did it all by himself.

"I am fond of watching web series and serials on crime and it was while watching these shows that I came up with ideas on preserving the body parts and keep Shraddha alive in the eyes of her family and friends. It was to preempt any doubts or suspicions about her whereabouts that I kept posting on Shradhha`s Instagram profile after the murder. I did it all by myself," the accused told Delhi Police.

Aftab Amin Poonawalla was a trained chef, knew how to use knife on Shraddha's flesh: Police

According to police sources, the accused first disposed of her liver and intestines after mincing them. Since he was a trained chef, he knew how to use the knife on her flesh, police added.

The liver and intestines were disposed of in the nearby forest area of Chattarpur and Mehrauli, sources said.

Meanwhile, sources on Tuesday said the city police may write to the dating app, Bumble where the couple first met, seeking details of Aftab`s profile and the women who visited him after the murder. Sources said the Delhi Police wants to ascertain if any of the women Aftab dated on the app was the reason why he killed Shraddha.

"Delhi Police may write to Bumble for details on Aftab`s profile and the women who visited him at his rented house while Shraddha`s body parts were still in the refrigerator. They want to ascertain if any of the women he dated was the reason for the killing," a source said.

I suspect love jihad: Shraddha`s father demands Aftab Amin Poonawalla be sentenced to death

Speaking to ANI, Shraddha`s father, Vikas Walkar said, "I suspect love jihad. We demand that Aftab be sentenced to death. I have faith in the Delhi Police as the investigation is moving in the right direction. Shraddha was close to her uncle and didn`t talk to me much. I was never in touch with Aftab. I lodged the first complaint in the case at Vasai (Mumbai)."

"I had spoken to Shraddha last in 2021. I would ask her to tell me more about her live-in partner. But she didn`t say much. I did not know she had shifted to Delhi. Her friend told me she was in Delhi. I thought that she was in Bangaluru. Aftab had a lot of time to remove all the evidence," Shraddha`s father said.