A real estate agent reportedly claimed on Monday that Amin Poonawala, the father of Shraddha Walkar murder suspect Aaftab Poonawala, did not disclose much information about Aaftab when he rented a flat in a building in Mumbai’s Mira Road last month.
The real estate broker who helped Amin Poonawala find a flat in Delta Garden Complex, which happens to be the same building in Mira Road, told PTI that the Poonawala senior initially wanted a 1 BHK (bedroom, hall, and kitchen) flat but later changed his mind and took a 2 BHK flat on rent.
''Amin Poonawala told the Andheri-based owner of the flat that three members of his family, including himself, his wife Munira and their son Ahad will occupy the flat. He told the owner that his other son (who is Aaftab) was staying somewhere but not with them. Except this, he didn't share any details about Aaftab,'' PTI quoted him as saying. The Poonawala family shifted to the new location, i.e. Mira Road’s housing complex, in October this year after renting out their flat in Vasai in Palghar district, part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
Police had stated that the Poonawala family is absconding and that the flat in Mira Road is still locked.
''Amin Poonawala submitted his Adhaar card, PAN card and other details to the local police station while taking the flat on rent. He was handed possession of the flat after mandatory police verification,'' the broker said. "Amin Poonawala made online payment of my brokerage and one-month rent after tenant registration was done," he added. ''He (Amin) had once told me that he works in a tiles manufacturing company in suburban Malad while his son (Ahad) recently got a job in Mumbai. They seemed to be of good nature. We are shocked to know about Aaftab,'' the PTI report quoted him as saying.
The broker reportedly claimed that he and other Delta Garden Society members had given the neighborhood police the documents that Amin Poonawala had submitted. Aaftab, 28, had helped his family members move to Mumbai, according to a society member, and had recently visited the Vasai housing society.
On November 12, the Delhi Police detained him for allegedly strangling Shraddha and later dismembering her in their apartment in the Mehrauli neighborhood of south Delhi. According to police, Aaftab allegedly sawed Shraddha's body into 35 pieces, which he kept at his home in a 300-liter refrigerator for almost three weeks before scattering them throughout the capital over a number of days.
''Aaftab Poonawala had visited Unique Park Housing Society in Vasai to help his family members shift to a new location near Mumbai,'' the housing society member told PTI. Unique Park Housing Society is the building where Amin Poonawala along with his family used to live in Mumbai’s Vasai before moving to Mira Road.
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