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Shashi Tharoor charged with abetment to suicide in Sunanda Pushkar death
Sunanda Pushkar was found dead in her hotel room in January 2014. Sunanda and Tharoor had checked in to the hotel together a day earlier.
New Delhi: Four years after Sunanda Pushkar, wife of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, was found dead at her suite in Leela Hotel in the national capital, the Delhi police on Monday filed a chargesheet in the case.
The chargesheet, which runs into around 3,000 pages, was filed before Metropolitan Magistrate Dharmender Singh in Patiala House Court under sections 498 A (husband or his relative subjecting a woman to cruelty) and 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code.
Pushkar’s husband and Congress MP Tharoor has been named as an accused in the case. The police in its charge sheet has also alleged that Tharoor had subjected his wife to cruelty.
"On the basis of medico-legal and forensic evidence analysed during investigation as well as the opinion of Psychological Autopsy experts, Sunanda Pushkar case investigated by SIT of South District, has been chargesheeted under section 306/498-A IPC. The matter now is sub-judice," Delhi police spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, Tharoor has termed the chargesheet as ‘preposterous’ and said that he will contest it vigorously.
In his tweet, the Congress MP also said, “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, 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 Delhi High Court that they have not found anything against anyone & now in 6 months they say that I have abetted a suicide. unbelievable!,” he added.
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
The court has fixed May 24 as the next date of hearing.
Pushkar was found dead in the luxury hotel room on January 17, 2014, days after she publicly accused her husband of having an affair with a Pakistani journalist.
Reacting to the development, BJP MP Subramanian Swamy said, "All witnesses and documents were destroyed by the UPA government and corrupt police. On the basis of current evidence, this is what could be done."
"More information will come during trial. There are allegations on Shashi Tharoor that he forced his wife to commit suicide," BJP leader added.
