Shraddha Murder: Aaftab to decide on bail plea after meeting lawyer

New Delhi [India], December 17 (ANI): Shraddha Walkar murder accused Aaftab Amin Poonawala on Saturday told the Saket court in the national capital that he would decide after talking to his lawyer whether he wants to pursue the bail or not.
Additional Sessions Judge Vrinda Kumari listed the bail matter for hearing on December 22, while his (Aaftab's) counsel would meet him in the jail on Monday.
Aaftab was produced in the court via video conferencing on the court's earlier directions of the day.
The court noted Aaftab's statement that even though he signed the 'vakalatnama', he was unaware that a bail has been filed on his behalf.
He told the court that he had no communication with his counsel in this regard. He would decide on the issue after talking to the counsel.
Aaftab's counsel Advocate M S Khan submitted before the court that he would meet Aftab at the earliest.
Although, Khan said that there was no need to produce the accused on the next date, the special public prosecutor (SPP) opposed the submission and said that Aaftab should be produced on the next date.
The Delhi court earlier in the day directed Tihar jail authorities to produce Aaftab Poonawala after receiving a report from prison authorities that Poonawala did not instruct any lawyer to file his bail.
The Additional Sessions Judge asked the Jail authorities to produce Aaftab through video conferencing (vc) at 11.30 am.
The court said that the prison report was received on Friday containing Aaftab's handwritten letter stating that the bail application has been filed erroneously and he had no communication in this regard.
A report from jail through the E-Mail stated that Aaftab has not instructed any lawyer to file the bail application.
On the other hand, advocate M S Khan submitted that he has filed the application and has a 'vakalatnama' signed by Aaftab, which has been duly signed by the jail authorities.
Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad has appeared for Delhi Police and the Nirbhaya Gang Rape case's lawyer Advocate Seema Kushwaha has also reached there.
The court said it would talk to Aaftab on whether he has consulted any lawyer.
Aaftab Poonawala, who is accused of murdering his live-in partner Shraddha and then chopping her into 35 pieces, has moved an application seeking bail on the grounds that the initial investigation in the case has been completed.
The bail application moved through the legal aid counsel has stated that the initial investigation in the matter is completed and a charge sheet is to be filed.
It further said: the matter will take longer to be completed, therefore there is no use in keeping the accused behind bars. It would hamper his life progress.
The application has stated that in these circumstances the accused may be released on bail.
Aaftab Poonawala is in judicial custody till December 23. He was earlier also produced through video conferencing before the court due to safety reasons.
Aaftab's polygraph test and Narco Analysis test have also been conducted.
The police will file a charge sheet in the matter soon. (ANI)