The Delhi Police has chargesheeted Congress leader Shashi Tharoor for abetting the suicide of his wife Sunanda Pushkar under Sections 306 and 498A (husband or his relative subjecting a woman to cruelty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Soon after the report, Tharoor tweeted saying he will “stay off Twitter for a while as one encounters too much epicaricacy!”
“On the basis of medico-legal and forensic evidence analysed during investigation as well as opinion of psychological autopsy experts, case FIR No. 04/15 of PS Sarojini Nagar, investigated by the Special Investigation Team of South District, has been chargesheeted under Sections 306/498-A IPC. The matter now is sub judice,” said Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) and chief spokesperson Dependra Pathak.
The investigating officer (IO) of the case on Monday told the court that custodial interrogation of Tharoor is necessary as investigation is yet to be concluded. The Delhi Police named Tharoor as the only accused in its voluminous 3,000-page chargesheet. The IO claimed there is enough evidence to proceed against Tharoor. Police alleged that Tharoor had subjected his wife to cruelty.
Tharoor has not been arrested in the case so far as he had joined the investigation when required. Meanwhile, sources said the judge may order Tharoor to be taken into custody if it finds that the accused can influence witnesses.
The chargesheet in the mysterious death of Pushkar was filed before Metropolitan Magistrate (MM) Dharmendra Singh, who will consider it on May 24. The IO urged the court to summon Tharoor, the lok Sabha MP from Thiruvananthapuram, as an accused as the investigation is yet to be completed in the case.
Couple’s domestic servant Narayan Singh is one of the key witnesses in the case.
It may be recalled that Sunanda Pushkar was found dead in a luxury hotel room on the night of January 17, 2014. The suite was sealed that night itself for investigation.
The chargesheet, which includes several annexures, said that Pushkar died within three years, three months and 15 days of her marriage with Tharoor. The couple had entered the wedlock on August 22, 2010.
An FIR was registered by the Delhi Police on January 1, 2015 against unknown persons under IPC Section 302 (murder). According to prosecution sources, the chargesheet has mentioned that Pushkar was allegedly subjected to mental as well as physical cruelty.
After all the possible and material evidence collected and verified, it was felt that Tharoor’s custodial interrogation would be required in the case, the chargesheet, which contains several medical reports, said.
The Delhi High Court had last year in October 26 dismissed BJP leader Subramanian Swamy’s plea seeking a court-monitored SIT probe into the death of Pushkar, terming his PIl as a “textbook example of a political interest litigation”.
later, Swamy moved the Supreme Court challenging the High Court order, but the apex court asked the BJP leader to satisfy the court on the question of maintainability of his plea.
The special investigation team (SIT) on April 20 had told the SC that a draft final report has been prepared after conducting “thorough professional and scientific investigations” in the case relating to the death of Congress MP’s wife.
The Delhi Police, in its affidavit filed in the apex court, had said that a draft final report has been sent to the prosecution department of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi for “legal scrutiny” and it would be filed in the concerned trial court after being vetted.