Delhi CP briefs Rajnath Singh; Dr Sudhir Gupta, Shashi Tharoor may be quizzed
A controversial claim by the head of AIIMS’ forensic medicine department that pressure was brought on him to manipulate the report of post-mortem on Shashi Tharoor’s wife Sunanda Pushkar was rejected by the hospital on Thursday. Debunking the charges of Dr Sudhir Gupta, who headed a three-member team that conducted the post-mortem on Pushkar, who died in mysterious circumstances in a Five Star hotel in January this year, AIIMS categorically said that there was no evidence to support Dr Gupta’s claim.
AIIMS spokespersons Dr Amit Gupta and Neerja Bhatla said AIIMS had sent the post-mortem report in a sealed envelope to the Sub District Magistrate and the Delhi Police thus leaving no loophole for tampering. “The post-mortem report was forwarded to investigation agency within 10 hours,” he said. Dr Amit added that for 60 years AIIMS is known for its professionalism and has never been involved in any manipulation of medical reports.
When asked if Dr Sudhir Gupta faced pressure from outside or it is related to his promotion, as he had hinted in an affidavit before Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Dr Amit Gupta further said that the administration was not aware of it but if there was any pressure from outside then he will have to bring evidence. “There is a case before the CAT. As the matter is sub-judice, we will not comment further.”
However, the premier health institute did not rule out disciplinary action against Dr Sudhir Gupta, saying “if AIIMS feels or if we get any directive then action will be taken against him as per rules.”
The controversy surrounding mysterious death of Sunanda Puskhar erupted as Dr Sudhir Gupta filed an affidavit on June 26 before the CAT in which he stated that pressure was mounted on him to withhold information which was vital to explain the cause of Pushkar’s death. He added that people with “vested interests” dug up old and false cases against him to pressurise him.
However, Dr Sudhir Gupta refused to comment on his reported allegation on Wednesday, saying he has already stated the facts before the “competent” authorities. “I don’t want to comment on this issue. It is a legal matter, a serious issue, I cannot share with the media. I am a government servant. Whatever I wanted to say, I have said at a competent place,” he told PTI.
AIIMS’ rejection of Dr Sudhir Gupta’s claim came a day after reports emerged that he had filed an affidavit before Central Administrative Tribunal.
He had also written to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan against a move of the former Government to promote a faculty member so that he (Dr Gupta) could be removed as the head of the department following his refusal to change the post-mortem report.
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police said if required it will examine Dr Sudhir Gupta and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor. “I can’t tell you future course of action right now, but I want you to know that investigation in the case is going on. Whatever is necessary is being done. If it is necessary, Dr Gupta will be examined,” said Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi.
He added, “If it is necessary to take on record the affidavit filed by him (Dr Gupta) before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) that too will be taken into account. We will be conducting the enquiries keeping in view the legal position and relevance of the evidence.” When specifically asked whether Tharoor will be questioned, Bassi said, “If it is necessary, it will be done.”
The Delhi Police Commissioner said that a Special Investigation Team, headed by Delhi Police inspector Atul Sood, is already investigating the case. Sunanda was found dead in a 5-star hotel in South Delhi on the night of January 17, a day after her Twitter spat with Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar over an alleged affair with Tharoor. Inquest proceedings under Section 174 CrPC were initiated in the case according to which a sub-divisional magistrate enquires into the death of a woman if she dies within seven years of her marriage.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh is believed to have been briefed by the Delhi Police Commissioner about the probe into the death of Sunanda Pushkar in the wake of reported claims by a senior forensic doctor that he was pressurised to manipulate her autopsy report.
Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday stated that he was ready to cooperate with the investigation into the mysterious death of his wife, Pushkar, even as the State BJP stepped up its campaign against him on political and legal fronts. Responding to the allegation leveled by Dr Sudhir Gupta, he requested investigators to complete the probe at the earliest and put to rest all speculation related to the matter.
Stating that he and the family of Sunanda had expressed readiness to cooperate with the investigations in the very beginning, Tharoor said the police should share with the media whatever information they could reveal during the probe into his wife’s death.
However, the Congress MP had already begun to take steps to make his position clear before the Congress leadership. He met Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and other leaders at the Kerala Assembly complex on Wednesday morning.
Meanwhile, the BJP demanded Tharoor’s resignation from Parliament in wake of allegation by Dr Sudhir Gupta. “It would be appropriate if Shashi Tharoor resigns and faces the probe if he attaches any value to moral principles,” said Thiruvananthapuram BJP president S Suresh, adding that his party would start an agitation if Tharoor refuses to quit.
Tharoor, who was elected MP from Thiruvananthapuram constituency in 2009 by a margin of 99,998 votes, won the seat with much difficulty in the last election in which his margin had come down to 15,470 votes. In the tight, triangular contest, BJP candidate O Rajagopalan, former Union Minister, had claimed the second position.