New Delhi, Oct 12 (PTI) A Delhi court has allowed the prosecution to record through video conferencing the testimony of four foreign-based nodal officers of WhatsApp, Google and Bumble in the Shraddha Walker murder case, saying that securing their physical presence would entail undue delay and exorbitant expense.
Additional Sessions Judge Hargurvarinder Singh Jaggi passed the order on an application filed by the prosecution seeking permission to examine the witnesses through video conferencing under the Electronic Evidence and Video Conferencing Rules, 2025.
In the order dated October 9, the court said, “Having considered the application and given that the above-named witnesses reside abroad, securing their physical attendance before this Court would entail undue delay and exorbitant expense. In the interest of an expeditious trial and justice, the application moved by the prosecution is allowed.”
The four witnesses include Adrian Silvera, nodal officer of WhatsApp LLC and Meta Platforms Inc; Shelby Smith and Arti Sheth, nodal officers of Google LLC and Gmail, respectively; and Luke Mitsi, nodal officer and law enforcement operations manager of Bumble Group.
The court noted that the witnesses, who are based in the United States and the United Kingdom, were required to tender evidence by way of affidavits and allowing their testimony through video conferencing would facilitate an expeditious trial.
The court directed that their testimonies be recorded one witness per day, commencing December 1, 2026. The court’s coordinator will prepare a schedule in coordination with the prosecution, defence counsel and the coordinators at the respective remote locations.
It directed that the remote points for recording the testimony would be the nearest Indian embassy, high commission or consulate corresponding to the witnesses’ addresses.
The court also directed that all costs, administrative expenses and overseas transmission charges associated with the video conferencing arrangements would be borne by the State.
“The summons shall explicitly specify the venue of the Remote Point, date, time, and requirement of identity proof. All parties must keep in mind the difference of time zones and plan accordingly,” the judge said.
It further ordered that the witnesses’ identities be verified through valid government-issued or passport identification documents before their examination and that safeguards be put in place to ensure they are not tutored or prompted during their testimony.
The court said the video conferencing proceedings would be conducted through Cisco Webex or any other application directed by it. The audio-visual recording of the proceedings, along with an encrypted master copy, would be preserved as part of the official judicial record.
The court also directed that, if the accused is in judicial custody and is not physically produced before it, a multi-point video conference be established connecting the courtroom, the remote location and the jail. The accused would be given an adequate opportunity to consult privately with his counsel before and after the session.
The case relates to the 2022 murder of Shraddha Walker, a 27-year-old call centre employee, allegedly by her live-in partner Aaftab Amin Poonawala.
The prosecution alleged that he strangled her, chopped her body into multiple pieces, stored them in a refrigerator and disposed of them over several days in different parts of Delhi.
Poonawala, who had rented a flat in Delhi’s Mehrauli where the alleged murder took place, was arrested on November 12, 2022.
The prosecution alleged that he dumped Walkar’s body parts in a forested area after the killing.
The trial in the case has been pending since 2023. Walkar’s father, Vikas Walkar, who had pursued the case after her death, passed away in 2025. PTI SKM RT
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