At last former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor has been charge sheeted by the Delhi Police (DP) in the mysterious death of his wife Sunanda Pushkar. The Delhi Police on Monday accused Congress leader Shashi Tharoor of abetting the suicide of his wife Sunanda Pushkar and told the trial court that his custodial interrogation was necessary as investigation was yet to be concluded. At present Tharoor is charged for the IPC sections of 306 and 498A, which are non-bailable offences and the court has posted the case to May 24 to pass further orders[1].
On May 24, the trial court is expected to summon Shashi Tharoor, whose custody and interrogation is demanded by the DP. It is expected that Delhi Police will file a supplementary charge sheet after further probe. The police filed a nearly 3,000-page charge sheet in the court, naming Tharoor as the only person accused in the case and claiming that there was enough evidence to proceed against him. The police has also alleged that Tharoor had subjected his wife to cruelty.
The charge sheet in the mysterious death of Pushkar was filed before Metropolitan Magistrate Dharmendra Singh, who will consider it on May 24. The agency also urged the court to summon Tharoor, a Lok Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) from Thiruvananthapuram, as an accused. The couple’s domestic servant Narayan Singh is one of the key witnesses in the case. Sunanda was found dead in a luxury hotel room on the night of January 17, 2014[2].
The Congress leader has been charged under sections 498 A (husband or his relative subjecting a woman to cruelty) and 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code. The charge sheet, which includes several annexures, said that Sunanda died within three years, three months and 15 days of her marriage with Tharoor. The couple had entered into wedlock on August 22, 2010.
Pushkar was found dead in the suite of the seven star Leela Hotel on January 17, 2014. An FIR (First Information Report) was registered by Delhi Police on January 1, 2015 against unknown persons under IPC section 302 (murder).
According to a prosecution sources, the charge sheet has mentioned that Sunanda was allegedly subjected to mental as well as physical cruelty.
After all the possible and material evidence was 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. Tharoor has not been arrested in the case so far as he had joined the investigation when required.
Due to Shashi Tharoor’s unholy relations with many leaders crossing party lines, Delhi Police was blocked to probe the case[3]. The credit goes to BJP leader Subramanian Swamy for approaching the courts. Even in Delhi High Court, his petition was surprisingly rejected. Though the first Judge Justice G S Sisitani gave directions to Delhi Police in his four hearings, all of a sudden, the case went to Justice Muralidhar, who on the very first day rejected Swamy’s petition[4], even without hearing him in October 2017.
Later, Swamy moved the Supreme Court challenging the High Court order which asked the BJP leader to satisfy the court on the question of maintainability of his plea. Delhi Police became active after Justice Arun Mishra directed Delhi Police[5] to submit the probe status in March 2018.
Reacting to Delhi Police charge sheet, Swamy said that he will assist the Prosecutor and will be present in the trial court on May 24.
Under Section 301 CrPC and also via JK International judgment of SC I am entitled to assist the Prosecutor in the Sunanda unnatural death case. So I will appear on May 24 th
— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) May 14, 2018
References:
[1] Sunanda Murder: Delhi Police to file Final Report to trial court within a week – May 8, 2018, PGurus.com
[2] A look at the timeline of investigation of Sunanda’s murder – Jan 24, 2016, PGurus.com
[3] Home Ministry brings back Vivek Gogia, who hushed up the Sunanda Murder probe to Delhi Police – May 12, 2017, PGurus.com
[4] War of words between New Judge and Dr Swamy inside Delhi High Court on Sunanda Murder Probe – Oct 27, 2017, PGurus.com
[5] Sunanda Pushkar murder: Supreme Court notice to Delhi Police on Swamy’s plea for SIT probe – Feb 23, 2018, PGurus.com
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No farrago of distortions!
Good. Thanks to Swamy for his relentless effort to catch the cheats.
At last Lutyens Casanova caught. Hearts of many party ladies and lady journos are bleeding for this casanova. Shameless creatures.