Sunanda Pushkar Case: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor Charged With Abetting Suicide
NEW DELHI: Delhi Police has filed a charge sheet in the Sunanda Pushkar case accusing her husband and Congress leader and MP Shashi Tharoor of abetting her suicide. The charge sheet was on the basis of medico-legal and forensic evidence. The 3,000-page charge sheet alleged that Tharoor had subjected his wife to cruelty.
Delhi Police stated, “On the basis of medico-legal and forensic evidence analyzed during the investigation as well as the opinion of psychological autopsy experts, the charge sheet was filed. The matter is sub judice.” Mr. Tharoor has denied the charges and called them “preposterous”.
Sunanda Pushkar was found dead in luxury hotel suite in Delhi on January 17, 2014. Before her death, she accused Shashi Tharoor of having an affair with a Pakistani journalist. Earlier, Delhi Police found no evidence of murder.
1/2 I have taken note of the filing of this preposterous charge sheet &intend to contest it vigorously. No one who knew Sunanda believes she would ever have committed suicide, let alone abetment on my part. If this is conclusion arrived at after 4+ yrs of investigation, (contd.)
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 14, 2018
2/2) it does not speak well of the methods or motivations of the Delhi Police. In oct 17, the Law Officer made a statement in the DelhiHighCourt that they have not found anything against anyone & now in 6 months they say that I have abetted a suicide. unbelievable!
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 14, 2018
Meanwhile, Congress party stood by Mr. Tharoor and released a statement through Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala. He said, “We won’t cow down or bow down. This is a conspiracy to defame Shashi Tharoor. We reject the charges totally.” He accused that the Delhi Police took the steps on instructions from the BJP and Narendra Modi-led government. “BJP’s revenge factory is at work,” he added.
The Congress Party stands by Dr Tharoor and denounces this politically motivated charge sheet against him. https://t.co/FM1Ex0hCts
— Congress (@INCIndia) May 14, 2018
BJP MP Subramanian Swamy said to ANI, “It is a very serious allegation against Shashi Tharoor. He can go to jail for 10 years. The rest is up to the court to decide whether to give him bail or not.”