Shraddha's 2020 letter is only evidence yet against Aftab, hinting at pre-planned murder

Delhi Police are racing against time to find evidence against Aftab Poonawalla for the murder of his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar. While so far, the story revolved around Aftab's confessions, the 2020 police complaint letter written by Shraddha has become the focal point of the investigation. 

On the other hand, Delhi Police is relying on a polygraph and narco-analysis test on Aftab to find clues. 

Updates: 

• Aftab's polygraph test couldn't be conducted on Wedensday, November 24, as he was found medically unfit. 
• Aftab is reportedly suffering from fever and cold and is taking medicines for the same. Since his health can affect the results of the polygraph test, the police is waiting for his condition to get better. 

• Narco-analysis test will only be conducted after the polygraph.
• Police have reportedly recorded the statement of Aftab's family on the matter. Shraddha had written in her 2020 letter that they were aware of Aftab abusing her. 

Aftab Amin Poonawalla is accused of strangling Shraddha Walkar to death at their Chhatarpur apartment in Delhi on May 18. According to Aftab's confessions to the police, he chopped Shraddha's body into more than 30 pieces and disposed off of them at various locations in and near Delhi. 

But the murder story and a missing Shraddha case remain without a body, murder weapon, or witnesses, without which the police cannot pin the crime on Aftab. The fact that six months went by without anyone noticing that Shraddha was missing has made the task difficult for the police to find evidence. 

But, the first concrete evidence that has been found in the case seems to be Shraddha's police complaint letter from 2020. 

The letter: Shraddha had filed a police complaint at Tulinj police station in Mumbai on November 23, 2020, stating that Aftab threatened to kill her and dismember her body. The claims are suspiciously similar to the fate Shraddha seems to have met in 2022. 

Why is this letter important? Aftab has reportedly claimed that he killed Shraddha in the heat of the moment and that it was not pre-planned. 

• Whether the murder was pre-planned or happened in the heat of the moment can make a difference on Aftab's punishment. The latter has a more lenient punishment. 
• Delhi Police suspect that Aftab planned the murder in detail and also methodically got rid of the evidence. 
• Shraddha's 2020 letter seems to give weight to the suspicion. 
• On the other hand, Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis has said that the Mumbai Police's "inaction" in 2020 in Shraddha's case will be investigated. 

Why the Police suspect Aftab planned Shraddha's murder? 

• Shraddha's claims from 2020 about Aftab's threats are eerily similar to what Aftab's has reportedly confessed so far. 
• Delhi Police find it unsettling that Aftab and Shraddha abruptly moved from Mumbai to Delhi before Shraddha was murdered.
• First, Aftab took Shraddha to the hills on the pretext of giving a fresh start to their relationship. 
• They moved to Delhi after the vacation, first staying at a hotel before moving into their Chhatarpur apartment. 
• Shraddha was killed on May 18, as claimed by Aftab. She was killed just 10 days after reaching Delhi and just 3 days after moving into the Chhatarpur flat. This has made the police suspect that maybe Aftab took the apartment as part of the plan to kill Shraddha.
• Moreover, Delhi Police have reportedly found a "map" of places where Aftab disposed off the body parts, making them believe that he had done a recce of the area. 
• Delhi Police believe that Aftab meticulously studied how to destroy evidence so that the murder, even if discovered, cannot be pinned on him. 

A timeline of the events that make the police suspect it was a planned murder: 

• May 18: Aftab kills Shraddha (date yet to ascertained). Shraddha's chats dated May 18 read: "Dude, I have got news," and "Got super busy with something."
• October 6: Vikas Walkar alerts Mumbai Police about his daughter Shraddha going missing. 
• October 10: Mumbai Police file a complaint only days later. 
• October 26: Mumbai Police summon Aftab from Delhi, nearly 20 days later. 

CCTV footage dated October 18 shows Aftab roaming around near his Delhi apartment around 4 am with a bag. 

• November 3: Aftab gives written statement that Shraddha broke up with him in May and he doesn't know about her whereabouts. 
• November 8: Mumbai Police reach Delhi and keep Aftab under surveillance. 
• November 12: Aftab is arrested. 

Old CCTV footages of the Chhatarpur apartment area aren't available anymore and only recent ones can be found.