Aaftab Amin Poonawala, accused of strangling his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar and chopping her body into pieces, Saturday informed a court here that he had signed on the vakalatnama but was not aware a bail petition would be filed on his behalf.

The accused appeared before Additional Sessions Judge Vrinda Kumari through video-conferencing.

"I would like the counsel to talk to me and then withdraw the bail plea," Poonawala said, replying to an inquiry by the judge on whether he intended to withdraw the application.

The judge said the bail application would be kept pending and only after the accused meets the counsel, it would be decided whether the plea would be pressed or not.

The court posted the matter for further proceedings on December 22.

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