Delhi High Court notice to Tharoor on police’s appeal in Pushkar death case

Shashi Tharoor on Thursday opposed the revival of the charge of abetting his wife Sunanda Pushkar’s suicide in 2014.

New Delhi Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday opposed the revival of the charge of abetting his wife Sunanda Pushkar’s suicide in 2014, after the Delhi high court issued a notice to the Thiruvananthapuram MP on the Delhi Police’s plea, challenging a trial court’s decision in August 2021 to exonerate him of all charges.

Sunanda Pushkar, 51, was found dead in a hotel room on January 17, 2014, following which the police charged Shashi Tharoor with abetment to suicide, among other charges. (HT Archive)

Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma also issued a notice to Tharoor on an application by police for the condonation of the 15-month delay in filing the appeal against the Congress lawmaker.

Appearing for Tharoor, senior advocate Vikas Pahwa opposed the police application, saying the appeal was filed 15 months instead of the stipulated 90 days after the trial court’s order.

The court told Pahwa that he could present his arguments on the delay on February 7, the next date of the hearing.

“We will first decide the application for condonation of delay,” the court said.

Justice Sharma, however, agreed with Pahwa’s request to restrict the two sides from sharing documents related to the case with any other party, as the senior counsel said that the trial court had issued a similar order. The counsel for the police did not object to this request.

Sunanda Pushkar, 51, was found dead in a hotel room on January 17, 2014, following which the police charged Tharoor with abetment to suicide, among other charges. The couple was staying at the hotel because Tharoor’s official bungalow was being renovated.

Tharoor had denied all charges, calling them “preposterous and motivated”.

In August 2021, the trial court discharged Shashi Tharoor, saying there was no material against the lawmaker to accuse him of the offences, much less any positive act to instigate or aid her in committing suicide. The judge also cited the opinion of the medical board which the court said, did not confirm that Pushkar’s death was a case of suicide.