Corroborating the statement of Sunanda Pushkar’s caretaker, Narayan Swami, Union Minister Shashi Tharoor in his statement recorded before the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) admitted that all was not well between the couple since she came to know about his relationship with Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar and they had also fought a night before she was found dead under mysterious circumstances. Sources said that last time Sunanda spoke with Narayan after the foot massage given by him and she asked him to go and sleep in the drawing room. In a related development, the investigation has now been transferred to the Inter State Cell of Crime Branch.
In his statement, the deceased’s husband Shashi Tharoor told the SDM that earlier also they had heated argument over Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar and she was later admitted at Kerala Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) for three days. “We had an argument when we were on a flight on January 15, but after the intervention of Narayan Swami, she stopped. After de-boarding, she went inside the washroom and after around 20 minutes, when she did not turn up, I also left as I had to attend a meeting,” he said in his statement.
Police sources said that Room 307 was booked by the victim’s caretaker, Narayan and then Sunanda Pushkar along with Narayan headed straight to The leela in Chanakyapuri and checked into Room 307. “After scanning the CCTV footage of the corridor, it came to fore that the victim was last time seen on January 15. Tharoor later called Narayan and enquired about his wife Sunanda. He came over to Room 342 but later the couple checked into Suite 345 at the hotel on Wednesday evening,” police sources added. In his statement, Tharoor stated that on the intervening night of January 15-16, they had been quarrelling till 4.30 am. “At 4.30 am, I came outside my bedroom and turned in for the night in the drawing room while Sunanda was busy with her phone. At 6.30-6.45 am, I left the room and went to attend the AICC session,” he added.