Former union minister Shashi Tharoor said today that his family “never thought of any foul play” in the death of his wife, Sunanda Pushkar, whose body was found in a five-star hotel in Delhi a year ago.
The Delhi Police Chief BS Bassi said that Ms Pushkar, 51, was murdered.
“Poison consumed by the victim was the cause of death. Poison was either given orally or injected into the body,” Mr. Bassi said.
The murder case registered today in Delhi does not name any suspect, but Mr Bassi said he has ruled out suicide, which had been suspected earlier. When asked if Mr Tharoor, a Parliamentarian from Kerala, will be questioned, the police chief replied, “We will interrogate and investigate whosoever is required.”
The BJP expresses hope that the investigation in Sunnada death case will be completed soon. BJP leader GVL Narasimha Rao says the probe must reach a conclusive end.
Former top cop Kiran Bedi says the evidence reveals that Sunanda was murdered for a reason and the important question is who was benefiting from her death.
Mr. Tharoor used Facebook to make a statement. “I am stunned to hear that the Delhi Police have filed a case of murder against unknown persons in the demise of my late wife Sunanda. Needless to say I am anxious to see this case is investigated thoroughly and continue to assure the Police of my full cooperation,” he wrote.
“Although we never thought of any foul play in the death of my wife, we all want that a comprehensive investigation be conducted and that the unvarnished truth should come out,”
he said, stressing that he has not been provided with copies of medical and postmortem reports.
Another Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi says the case should not be sensationalised.
Congress leader Rashid Alvi questions the delay in registering an FIR in the Sunanda Pushkar death case and says that the police should investigate the matter honestly.
“I always say that law will take its own course, but why is the case being registered after a year? I think that the investigation should be done honestly. It is the responsibility of the police to complete the investigation,” says Alvi.
“It is very surprising that after a year the police have registered this case under Section 302. There are so many questions that are arising. Why have they come to this conclusion now? This is the reason people are doubtful about their investigation,” he says.
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy expresses happiness over Delhi Police filing an FIR in Pushkar’s death case.
Swamy says Sunanda was murdered as she wanted to speak the truth. The BJP leader says that Leela Palace Hotel should also be probed.
Swamy further accuses Shashi Tharoor of being a liar. He says the more the Congress leader speaks, the more trouble he will get into.
Ms Pushkar, married to Mr. Tharoor since 2010, had been taking medication for various illnesses in the days before she died and early autopsy results suggested she may have overdosed on anti-depressants and sleeping pills.
But the police chief said that a medical report submitted by doctors at Delhi’s famous AIIMs hospital confirms that “her death was unnatural.”
