Aaftab Poonawala seeks release of certificates, soft copy of charge sheet

New Delhi, Feb 13 (IANS) Aaftab Amin Poonawala, accused of murdering his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar and then chopping her body into several pieces, on Monday filed applications in a Delhi court for release of a 'proper' soft copy of the charge sheet and his educational certificates to pursue higher studies.

On February 7, the court took cognisance of the charge sheet filed by the Delhi Police against Poonawala and posted the matter for its scrutiny on February 21.

On January 24, the police had filed the charge sheet in the case which contains over 6,000 pages and the court had extended Poonawala's custody for 14 days.

Poonawala, in one of his applications has alleged that the police's charge sheet -- prepared on the basis of forensic and electronic evidence, having around 100 witnesses -- has "falsely implicated" him in the case.

He has also contended that the prosecution intentionally provided a digital copy of the charge sheet, which is not legible.

In the two applications, filed by the accused's counsel M. S. Khan, the first plea stated that he was falsely implicated in the present case and was languishing in jail.

Poonawala, who is lodged in Tihar Jail, also stated in his plea that he wants to pursue higher studies, and hence wants all his certificates. He also immediately requires stationery items like pen, pencil and notebook.

The second plea seeks a soft copy of the charge sheet in a 'proper' way.

"The charge sheet in the soft copy or pen drive is not proper as the prosecution intentionally provided the soft copy
which cannot be read," his plea said.

The pen drive was overloaded and not supported by advanced computers and that the video footage was mismanaged, he has claimed.

Poonawala has requested the court to pass an order directing the investigating officer to supply the soft copy in a folder-wise manner and the video footage may be in other pen drives as filed in the charge sheet.

Poonawala has been accused of killing Walkar and then chopping her body into several pieces and storing them in a refrigerator before disposing them in the Chhatarpur forest area over a period of three months.

Poonawala had demanded law books to study. The court had also directed the prison authorities to provide him with warm clothes.

On January 6, Poonawala had moved an application in the court seeking release of his debit and credit cards, citing the need for funds to purchase day-to-day items, as well as warm clothes.