Crime
“In Heat Of Moment”, Says Aaftab Poonawala In Court On Killing Girlfriend
The Saket court today extended the police custody of Aaftab Poonawala to four more days after he was produced before the court via video conferencing in a special hearing. His five-day custody had ended today.Aaftab Ameen Poonawala, accused of murdering his live-in girlfriend Shraddha Walkar, today admitted in a Delhi court that he killed her “in the heat of the moment”. He also alleged that whatever is being said about him now is “not entirely true”.28-year-old Aaftab said he has been cooperating with the police, and has also given maps of the location where he dumped the body parts. He assured the court that he would provide all the details, but isn’t able to recall many things because it has been very long.Aaftab’s lawyer, Avinash, said that the police sought extended custody saying the Investigating Officer has received a sketch of a pond from Aaftab where they want to take him for further probe. “Aaftab told the court he is cooperating with the police, and the police are also treating him well. He said he is not misleading them or lying to them. The police also didn’t contest his claim in court,” he added. Aaftab will be taken to two ponds for the search of the body parts, one in Mehrauli forest and the other in Maidangarhi — both in south Delhi.During interrogation, Aaftab said he had thrown the saw and blade he used to chop off Shraddha’s body in the bushes of DLF Phase 3, Gurugram, Delhi Police sources said. A Delhi Police team has checked those bushes twice. He threw the meat cleaver in a dustbin at the 100-foot road in south Delhi’s Mehrauli, sources said.The forensics team today broke the bathroom tiles at Aaftab’s Chhatarpur flat where he murdered Shraddha, and found blood stains. The tiles have been sent to the lab for DNA tests.After the first day of the investigation, last Friday, the Delhi Police collected some evidence from the bushes in Gurugram, which has been sent for investigation to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory. On the second day, last Saturday, the Delhi Police had gone to Gurugram with metal detectors but returned empty-handed. They also took Aaftab to the shop from where he had bought the saw blade, which is just 250 meters away from Aaftab’s house.
On Sunday, the police had recovered more human remains from the Mehrauli forest. They have so far sent 18 bones, including the base of a skull, and a decapitated jaw, for forensic examination to match with Shraddha’s father’s DNA samples. The central forensic lab has said the reports would be available in one or two weeks.
The police had last week recovered heavy and sharp cutting tools from Aaftab’s flat, which they suspect might have been used to chop off Shraddha Walkar’s body. They also found a heavy black polythene bag at Aaftab’s Gurugram workplace.
Sources say investigations into the six-month-old murder hinge on forensic reports, call data, and circumstantial evidence as there are no witnesses. Delhi police today told the court that 80 per cent of the investigation has been completed. The next few days are crucial for the investigation, as key evidence in the case is still missing.
Shraddha and Aaftab had moved to Delhi in May and four days later, following an argument over expenses and infidelity, he strangled her to death, later chopping up the body into 35 pieces that he kept in a fridge and disposed of in a jungle over 18 days, police have said. Aaftab’s narco analysis test will not be conducted on Monday, the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) has said, as he has to take a polygraphic test before that.
Mumbai: In a four-year-old cyber fraud case wherein a city-based police officer lost ₹2.99 lakh after a call regarding PAN and Aadhaar card updates, the metropolitan magistrate court, Girgaon, has acquitted the accused from Jharkhand.
The court held that the mere receipt of funds suspected to be proceeds of cybercrime is insufficient to establish guilt without additional credible evidence.
It noted that the complainant, Priyanka Pawar transferred the money after providing an OTP, which does not constitute a criminal offence by the recipient, Manoj Kisku, 23. While the court observed that the man cannot be held criminally liable, it noted that civil liability may exist.
Pawar lodged a complaint with the South Cyber police station, claiming that on February 26, 2022, she received a call from an individual posing as a bank representative. The caller instructed her to update her PAN and Aadhaar details via a link. Upon clicking the link, ₹99,986 was transferred from her account. She later provided an OTP, leading to further debits totalling ₹2.99 lakh.
The investigation identified that the mobile number belonged to Rauf Ansari, while the funds were credited to the account of Kisku, a resident of Jamua, Jharkhand.
The court observed that the prosecution failed to establish a criminal conspiracy or a direct connection between Kisku and Ansari, noting that the mobile number used for communication was registered in Ansari’s name, yet Ansari had not been arrested. “It appears that the investigating officer had not arrested Ansari. Besides, the prosecution had not adduced direct or any circumstantial evidence on record, which could reflect that there was criminal conspiracy of the accused with Ansari,” the court stated.
Mumbai: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai Police on Monday registered a fresh case of alleged cheating, criminal breach of trust, and criminal conspiracy against former directors and officials of companies linked to the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG).
According to police officials, the accused allegedly obtained a bank loan of ₹150 crore and later diverted the funds for purposes other than those for which the loan was sanctioned, eventually defaulting on repayment. This is the second FIR registered following a complaint filed by Axis Bank against companies associated with the ADAG group.
An EOW source said the latest case was registered at Cuffe Parade Police Station on the complaint of Prakash Prabhakar Rao, Vice-President of Axis Bank. Rao had earlier lodged another FIR in March this year against several ADAG-linked firms and their directors on similar allegations.
The FIR names the then whole-time director of Reliance Home Finance Limited (RHFL), former directors of beneficiary companies within the ADAG group, and other concerned company officials.
Police officers said the alleged offence took place between January 2010 and November 2019. Investigators suspect that the accused, in connivance with former directors of the company, entered into a criminal conspiracy to defraud the complainant bank and cause wrongful financial loss.
According to police sources, the accused allegedly submitted forged documents, furnished false financial information, and made misleading disclosures regarding the financial condition of RHFL to secure the loans. The funds were then allegedly diverted to accounts of other affiliated group companies.
Officials further said that the EOW is examining the financial trail and the role of various company officials in the alleged diversion of funds. Earlier, on March 12 this year, the EOW had registered another case on similar grounds against companies linked to the Anil Ambani group.
Crime
Mumbai Crime Branch Arrests Main Accused In Byculla Firing Case Linked To D-Company Aide’s Son
Mumbai: The Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested the main accused in the Byculla firing case linked to the attack on Sameer Mohammad Asif Khan alias Sameer Sheikh, the son of alleged D-Company gangster Asif Sheikh alias Asif Dadi.
the main accused has been identified as Saif Mastan. He was arrested in West Bengal after remaining absconding for several days. The firing targeted Sameer Sheikh over an alleged financial dispute.
Earlier, on May 13, within 24 hours of the firing, the Mumbai Crime Branch had arrested two other accused from Mahim. Two suspects were arrested in connection with the firing case. The suspects, identified as Zeeshan Anwar Sheikh (30) and Sadik Sheikh Liyakat Sheikh (30), were arrested by Crime Branch officials from the Mahim Dargah area.
Mumbai Court Acquits Jharkhand Man In ₹2.99 Lakh PAN-Aadhaar Cyber Fraud Case
Indian pilgrims reach Arafat as Haj rituals begins in Saudi Arabia
Mumbai EOW Registers Fresh ₹150 Crore Fraud Case Against Anil Ambani-Linked Firms
Mumbai Crime Branch Arrests Main Accused In Byculla Firing Case Linked To D-Company Aide’s Son
Indian equity markets trade flat after fresh US strikes in Iran
Maharashtra Shock: 22-Year-Old Arrested For Exploiting & Blackmailing Multiple Women In Kolhapur; Love Jihad Angle Suspected
Mumbai: Strict action directed against prominent Marathi placards in shops and institutions, warning of action in Shiv Sena style: Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi
The Municipal Corporation and the Railway Administration should work together to make Mumbai flood-free, directs Standing Committee Chairman Prabhakar Shinde
Virar Citizens Protest Demolition Drive In Arnala; Police Block Lal Bawta March, Sit-in Held On Road
Global crude prices rise 0.73 pc as US-Iran talks stall
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