The Shraddha Walkar murder case faced another delay after a Delhi court cancelled a hearing scheduled for July 20, 2026, to allow accused Aaftab Amin Poonawala to appear for his final MA Sociology examination inside Tihar Jail.
The examination was scheduled at an IGNOU centre operating within the jail. As its timing overlapped with the court proceedings, the hearing was cancelled and the recording of prosecution evidence was directed to resume on July 21.
The development drew attention because the court had earlier planned to begin day-to-day hearings from July 20 to speed up the long-running trial. The case has remained at the prosecution evidence stage despite charges having been framed against Poonawala in May 2023.
Prosecutors allege that Poonawala killed his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar at their rented home in Delhi’s Mehrauli area in May 2022. They claim that he dismembered her body and disposed of the remains at different locations.
Poonawala has denied the allegations and is contesting the charges. The claims against him remain under judicial examination, and his guilt has not been established.
Delhi court pushes for faster evidence recording
The murder case was registered in November 2022 following an investigation into Walkar’s disappearance. Delhi Police later filed a chargesheet running into thousands of pages, followed by supplementary material containing additional forensic and digital evidence.
The volume of records, the number of witnesses and lengthy cross-examinations have contributed to the slow pace of the proceedings. Reports indicate that the questioning of some prosecution witnesses has continued across multiple hearing dates without being completed.
In May 2026, the court expressed concern over the lack of progress and asked both sides to prepare for continuous hearings after the summer break. The day-to-day schedule was intended to reduce long gaps between witness examinations and help complete the prosecution evidence stage more quickly.
The July 20 cancellation did not remove the remaining hearing dates. The court directed that proceedings continue from the next day, indicating that the broader effort to accelerate the trial would remain in place.
Family raises concerns over continued trial delays
Shraddha Walkar’s family has repeatedly expressed frustration over the time taken to conclude the case. Her father, Vikas Walkar, died in February 2025 while the trial was still pending. Other family members have continued attending hearings and calling for a faster judicial process.
The family has also said that Shraddha’s last rites have not been completed because remains recovered during the investigation are being preserved as evidence. They have urged the court to avoid unnecessary adjournments and bring the trial to a conclusion.
Earlier proceedings were also reportedly adjusted for medical appointments and other requests made by the accused. These developments have led to wider debate over how courts should balance an undertrial prisoner’s rights with the need to avoid prolonged criminal proceedings.
An accused person is entitled to education, medical treatment, legal representation and a fair defence. However, repeated scheduling disruptions can place additional emotional and financial pressure on victims’ families and witnesses.
The Shraddha Walkar case remains under trial in Delhi. Prosecution evidence is continuing, and the court has not delivered a final judgment. Until that process is completed, all allegations against Aaftab Amin Poonawala must be treated as unproven.
