Shashi Tharoor summoned as accused in Sunanda Pushkar death case
What's the story
Congress parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor has been summoned as an accused in his wife Sunanda Pushkar's death by a Delhi Court on Tuesday. Tharoor has to appear before the court on July 7 for the trial. Last month, police filed a charge-sheet accusing Tharoor of abetting Pushkar's suicide in a luxury Delhi hotel on January 17, 2014. Here are more details.
Details
Enough evidence against Tharoor, says court
Taking cognizance of the 3,000-page long charge-sheet filed by the police, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal said, "There exists sufficient grounds to proceed against Tharoor for the commission of offenses in the case." The MP was charged under IPC Sections 498A (husband or his relative subjecting a woman to cruelty) and 306 (abetment of suicide). Earlier, Tharoor had called the charge-sheet 'unbelievable'.
"Marital discord"
What's written in the charge-sheet that put Tharoor in scanner
In the comprehensive charge-sheet, the Delhi Police mentioned marital discord and that 'one party led to another committing suicide' as the reason. Narayan Singh, the couple's domestic servant was named as a key witness in the controversial case. The charge-sheet quoted a special investigation team that concluded Tharoor ignored his wife when she was slipping into depression.
Probe
The twists and turns in the case
Throughout the years, there have been several flip-flops in the investigation. Initially, officials suspected suicide. Later reports marked the cause of death as "unnatural." An AIIMS doctor then claimed he was forced to issue a false report in the case. In January 2015, Delhi Police filed an FIR for the 'murder' of Pushkar. In the chargesheet filed in May, Tharoor was accused of abetting her suicide.
Things to know
Sunanda told Shashi she had no desire to live: Police
The police said Pushkar sent an email to her husband on January 9 where she wrote, "I have no desire to live...all I pray for is death." The charge-sheet also claims Tharoor ignored his wife's calls and when she tried reaching out to him on social media, she got the same treatment. It also says the couple had frequent fights.
Quote
Delhi police said psychological autopsy experts gave their opinions
"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," said a Delhi Police spokesperson.
Twitter Post
Shashi Tharoor releases his statement
Shashi Tharoor issues a statement in connection with Sunanda Pushkar death case, says 'I find the charges preposterous and baseless, the product of malicious vindictive campaign against myself'. pic.twitter.com/Og9tZWqeb5
— ANI (@ANI) June 5, 2018