A Delhi court has cancelled proceedings in the Shraddha Walkar murder case scheduled for July 20 after accused Aaftab Amin Poonawala informed the court that he would be appearing for his final MA sociology examination at Tihar Jail on the same day.

Additional Sessions Judge Hargurvarinder Singh Jaggi noted that Poonawala, an undertrial lodged in Central Jail No. 3, Tihar, was appearing for examinations conducted by the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) between July 11 and July 20 at the jail’s examination centre.

In an order dated July 8, the court recorded that Poonawala’s final examination was scheduled from 2 pm to 5 pm on July 20. He had sought exemption from physical production before the court on that date, citing the examination schedule.

Allowing the application, the court cancelled the July 20 hearing and directed that the recording of prosecution evidence commence on July 21 at 2 pm. The remaining dates fixed earlier will continue as scheduled.

The court had previously ordered day-to-day recording of prosecution evidence from July 20 to July 25. According to the prosecution, eight witnesses are yet to be examined. The chief examination of 13 prosecution witnesses has been partly recorded, while the testimony of 12 others has been deferred.

Shraddha Walkar, a 27-year-old call centre employee, was allegedly murdered by her live-in partner, Poonawala, in May 2022. The prosecution alleges that he strangled her, dismembered her body, stored the remains in a refrigerator before disposing them of in Delhi.