Sunanda Pushkar death case LIVE: Shashi Tharoor charged with ‘abetment to suicide’, Cong calls it ‘conspiracy’

Sunanda Pushkar death case: Delhi Police have filed its chargesheet and have accused Congress leader Shashi Tharoor with abetment to suicide. Follow LIVE Updates here.

By: Express Web Desk
New Delhi | Updated: May 14, 2018 06:41 PM IST

shashi tharoor, sunanda pushkar death, sunanda pushkar murder case

Sunanda Pushkar and Shashi Tharoor

The Delhi Police Monday filed its chargesheet in the death case of Sunanda Pushkar, wife of former Union minister and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor. In its chargesheet, the Delhi Police has accused Tharoor under section 306 (abetment to suicide) and section 498 A (cruelty in a marriage). The chargesheet runs into around 3000 pages.

In January 2014, Sunanda Pushkar was found dead under mysterious circumstances in suite no 345 of Hotel Leela Palace in New Delhi. While police then suspected that she might have committed suicide, the possibility of medicine overdose was also not ruled out since Pushkar was undergoing medical treatment at the time of her death.

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Shashi Tharoor reacted to the filing of the chargesheet by the Delhi Police, in two tweets, Tharoor said: “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 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!”

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Live Blog

Sunanda Pushkar death case LIVE Updates: Shashi Tharoor has been charged with abetment to suicide. Follow LIVE updates here

18:41 (IST)14 May 2018

'Staying off Twitter for a while'

Staying off @Twitter for a while -- one encounters too much epicaricacy! pic.twitter.com/znaj8vUl0R
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 14, 2018

18:40 (IST)14 May 2018

Trying to focus on my work while others relish their distractions: Tharoor

Chaired a very good meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs this afternoon, on SAARC. Trying to focus on my work while others relish their distractions.
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) May 14, 2018

18:19 (IST)14 May 2018

'Preposterous charge sheet'

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

18:15 (IST)14 May 2018

Tharoor's domestic help key witness

The charge sheet was filed before Metropolitan Magistrate Dharmendra Singh, who will consider it on May 24. Police also urged the court to summon Tharoor as an accused. The couple's domestic help Narayan Singh is one of the key witnesses in the case.

17:40 (IST)14 May 2018

Pushkar subjected to 'mental, physical cruelty': Chargesheet

According to sources in the prosecution, the charge sheet said that Pushkar was allegedly subjected to mental as well as physical cruelty, PTI reported. After all the possible and material evidence collected and verified, it was felt that his custodial interrogation would be required in the case, the charge sheet, which contains several medical reports, said.

16:57 (IST)14 May 2018

Conspiracy to defame Tharoor: Surjewala

While addressing the media, AICC spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said "We won't cow down or bow down. This is a conspiracy to defame Shashi Tharoor. We reject the charges totally. This is being done on instructions from the BJP and Narendra Modi-led government. BJP's revenge factory is at work".

16:27 (IST)14 May 2018

Delhi Police statement on Sunanda Pushkar case

"On the basis of medico-legal and forensic evidence analyzed 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 charge sheeted u/ss. 306/498-A IPC. The matter now is sub judice."

16:13 (IST)14 May 2018

Shashi Tharoor responds to the filing of chargesheet by Delhi Police

Shashi Tharoor has reacted to the filing of the chargesheet by the Delhi Police, in two tweets, Tharoor said: '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 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!"

15:53 (IST)14 May 2018

Over 3000-page chargesheet

The chargesheet filed by the Delhi Police, which includes several annexures, states that Pushkar died within three years, three months and 15 days of her marriage with Tharoor, who is the Lok Sabha MP from Thiruvananthapuram. The couple had entered into wedlock on August 22, 2010.

The police filed the chargesheet before Metropolitan Magistrate Dharmendra Singh, who will consider it on May 24.

15:34 (IST)14 May 2018

What happens next?

Usually, in cases where section 498A are imposed, the enforcing authorities immediately place the accused under arrest. Tharoor, however, has not been arrested. He has throughout the investigation cooperated with the investigating authorities making himself present before them when needed. The case is likely to come up at the Patiala House court next week where Tharoor is expected appear.

15:32 (IST)14 May 2018

What are the two sections under which Tharoor has been charged?

In its chargesheet filed today, the Delhi Police has charged Congress leader Shashi Tharoor under section 306 and 498A. Section 306 of the IPC refers to the abetment of suicide while section 498A deals with cruelty to a wife in a marriage that is less than seven years, as was the case with Pushkar and Tharoor.

Last month, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) told the Supreme Court that a draft final report had been prepared after conducting “thorough professional and scientific investigations” in the case relating to the death of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s wife Sunanda Pushkar. “The SIT, after conducting thorough professional and scientific investigations, has prepared a draft police report under section 173 of the Criminal Procedure Code and sent the same to the prosecution department of Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi for legal scrutiny,” it said. “As soon as the draft police report is received after legal vetting by the prosecution department, the same shall be submitted before the competent trial court for consideration and concomitant judicial proceedings,” the affidavit, filed by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Romil Baaniya who is supervising the SIT probe, said.

Sunanda Pushkar, the wife of Shashi Tharoor, was found dead in a New Delhi hotel.

Delhi Police, in its affidavit filed in the Supreme 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.

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