Aftab helped his family to shift to Mumbai from Vasai 15 days before arrest

Mumbai: Aftab Amin Poonawala, accused of brutally killing his live-in partner in Delhi, had visited the housing society in Vasai in Palghar district of Maharashtra a fortnight ago to help his family members shift to Mumbai, a society member said on Tuesday.

Aaftab, 28, was arrested on Saturday by Delhi Police for allegedly strangling his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar. He sawed her body into 35 pieces which he kept in a 300-litre fridge for almost three weeks at his residence in South Delhi's Mehrauli before dumping them across the city over several days, police said on Monday.

"Aaftab Poonawala had visited Unique Park Housing Society in Vasai around 15 days back to help his family members who shifted from the society to Mumbai," the housing society member said.

The society member recalled that Aaftab spoke normally during his visit.

"No one can even think that he had committed such a heinous crime," he said.

He said the Poonawalas own a flat in the society and lived there for 20 years before shifting. Nobody ever complained against them.

"When we asked them the reason behind shifting, Aaftab's father told us that his son got a job in Mumbai and his company will pay rent. They also spoke about inconvenience (about shuttling between Mumbai and Vasai, which is in Palghar district and part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region)," he said.

The housing society's secretary Abdullah Khan, who lives on the third floor of the wing where the Poonawalas have a flat, said Aaftab and his family members behaved nicely to other residents.

"Around 15 days back they vacated the flat and rented it out. They shifted somewhere near Mumbai. Aaftab told me that he was staying in Delhi. I didn't notice any change in his behaviour. We are shocked to know about the crime,” he added.

The crime triggered a huge outrage.