MUMBAI: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the formation of a special investigation team on Tuesday to probe why the police did not act on the complaint filed by Shradha Walkar against Aftab Poonawala.
Walkar was allegedly killed by her live-in partner Poonawala in May this year in their Delhi flat. He allegedly chopped her body into multiple pieces and disposed of them over several weeks before he was arrested by the Delhi Police last month.
The BJP had raised this issue and blamed the erstwhile Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government for not pursuing the case properly. The BJP also claimed that Walkar would have been alive today if the local police had pursued her complaint properly.
Walkar, who had resided in the Vasai region with Poonawala before moving to Delhi, had lodged a complaint with Vasai police on November 23, 2020, stating Poonawala had been physically abusing her for over six months and threatened to kill her and chop her into pieces.
BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar had raised a calling attention motion in the Maharashtra state assembly in Nagpur asking if a law will be enacted to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.
BJP MLA Ashish Shelar also pointed out certain discrepancies in the case, making it suspicious.
“If Shraddha Walker had filed a complaint in the police station that she was being beaten up by the accused, then why wasn’t any case registered and investigation carried out? Why was there a delay of one year in asking both families to give their stance in writing? Why was the date on the paper tampered with,” Shelar asked.
He added, during the last two-and-a-half years, the stance taken by the previous government was suspicious and wondered if there was any pressure in this regard as well. “Therefore, the SIT should probe this entire case to bring out the truth. I am thankful to deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis for accepting my demand,” Shelar said.
Leader of Oppositions Ajit Pawar said that the Maharashtra government should talk with the central government and the Shradha Walkar case should be moved to a fast-track court.
He said that accused should be hanged for killing Shradha Walkar in an inhuman way. "People think twice to kill a small bird like a hen, also people think twice, but here Aftab Poonawala mercilessly killed Shradha and chopped her body into pieces," Pawar said.
“Government should approach union home minister Amit Shah and the Shradha Walkar case should be run on a fast track so the victim and her family will get justice soon,” he added.