Shraddha Walkar Case: Delhi Court Permits Online Depositions from Tech Officers

Shraddha Walkar Case: Delhi Court Permits Online Depositions from Tech Officers

October 11, 2026 Rachel Kim – Technology Editor Technology

A Delhi court has permitted the prosecution to record online depositions from foreign-based nodal officers of WhatsApp, Google, Gmail, and Bumble as the trial in the Shraddha Walkar murder case nears its conclusion. Additional Sessions Judge Hargurvarinder Singh Jaggi granted the application on October 11, ruling that securing the physical presence of these witnesses from the United States and the United Kingdom would cause undue delay and exorbitant expense.

The Tech TL;DR:

  • The Event: A Delhi court authorized remote video-conferencing depositions for four foreign tech nodal officers representing WhatsApp, Google, and Bumble.
  • The Implementation: Testimonies will be recorded via affidavits starting December 1, 2026, routing through Indian embassies and high commissions.
  • The Infrastructure: The Saket Courts Complex serves as the primary Court Point, linking directly with designated Remote Point Coordinators abroad via Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of External Affairs channels.

Court Directs Remote Video Testimonies for Foreign Tech Officers

According to thenewsmill.com, Additional Sessions Judge Hargurvarinder Singh Jaggi approved the prosecution’s request to examine foreign witnesses online, explicitly noting that forcing their physical attendance in India would incur unreasonable logistical delays and financial costs. The witnesses include Adrian Silvera for WhatsApp LLC and Meta Platforms Inc. in Menlo Park, California; Shelby Smith for Google LLC in Austin, Texas; Arti Sheth for Google (Gmail) in Mountain View, California; and Luke Mitsi for the Bumble Group in London, United Kingdom.

Shraddha Walkar Case: Delhi Court Permits Online Depositions from Tech Officers
Photo: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

In a report by the Times of India confirming these facts, the court ordered that copies of the ruling be sent to the High Commission of India, the Consulate General of India, the Nodal Authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Joint Secretary of the Consular, Passport and Visa Division at the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure administrative compliance. The prosecution plans to fulfill evidentiary requirements through affidavits pursuant to Section 296 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, along with the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.

Establishing Secure Infrastructure Across International Time Zones

To execute the remote hearings securely, the video conferencing courtroom at the South District, Saket Courts Complex, Delhi, will function as the central Court Point. As detailed by Webindia123, the Remote Point for each individual witness will be located at the nearest Indian Embassy or High Commission, managed by a designated official acting as the Remote Point Coordinator. Inspector Ram Singh, the investigating officer, is authorized to liaise and handle cross-border administrative workflows.

The examination schedule is set to commence on December 1, 2026, operating at a strict rate of one witness per day. Summons will be formally served through the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of External Affairs under the Comprehensive Guidelines for Investigation Abroad and Mutual Legal Assistance frameworks. These notices will explicitly define identity verification requirements, remote venue addresses, and mandatory time zone offsets for all participating legal teams, including Special Public Prosecutor Madhukar Pandey and defence counsel Akshay Bhandari and Megha Saroa.

# Example CLI cURL request structure for managing remote API audit logs or secure endpoint verification
curl -X GET "https://api.internal-secure-node.local/v1/evidence/depositions/status" 
     -H "Authorization: Bearer SECURE_TOKEN_2026" 
     -H "Content-Type: application/json"

Time Zone Differences and Court Rules Shape Trial Timeline

The operational timeline dictates that all participating parties must account for substantial geographical time zone differences when coordinating the daily testimony blocks. While thenewsmill.com emphasizes the judicial reasoning centered on avoiding undue trial delays, the procedural mechanics enforced by Times of India and Webindia123 highlight the precise adherence to Rule 9(5) and Rule 12 governing international service of summons. Aaftab Amin Poonawala remains the accused facing trial, with Advocate Seema Kushwaha representing the complainant as proceedings move toward their final phase.

More on this