Police ready with status report in Sunanda case

NEW DELHI: Almost four years and four months after the death of Sunanda Pushkar, Delhi police's investigation over the mysterious death of the wife of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, seems to be on the concluding stage.

Although senior officers of Delhi police remained tightlipped regarding the final outcome, sources privy to the investigation, say 'Status report, which will be submitted to the Apex court shortly, might point toward 'abetment' suicide case ( IPC 306 ) and destruction of evidence against unknown suspects'. It is still unclear who would come under the abetment to suicide ambit.

Delhi police Cheif PRO Depender Pathak on the question of the final outcome said, “The honorable court is seized of the matter and the investigation made in the case is in the final stage.members of Special Investigation Team ( SIT ) are finalising it with the prosecution. Shortly we will be submitting a detailed report to the court. And at this time, it would not be a good idea to reveal the outcome of the case.”

One year after the mysterious death of Sunanda Pushkar, the Delhi police registered a case under IPC Section 302 that is murder. This suggests that after the investigation relevant proof to prove murder hasn't been found by the investigating team, though it has conducted series of scientific tests including forensic psychological profiling of key suspects and those having crucial information in the case.

While not many in SIT believe it is a murder case, sources do not rule out the possibility that Sunanda might have committed suicide. Sources in SIT say Sunanda was consuming a good number of anti-depressant pills without prescription, her frequent public spat with Shashi Tharoor also points to a strained relationship. However, in absence of a suicide note and the fact that Sunanda's son Shiv Pushkar already gave a clean chit to Shashi, makes the death more suspicious.

Sources in SIT say despite probing the case for over three years and using best available scientific tools, there is no evidence to prove that Sunanda was murdered. Mere suspicion can't be used to file charge sheet against anyone.

Sunanda Pushkar was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Hotel Leela Palace in New Delhi on January 17, 2014. She was found in suite number 345 by her husband Shashi Tharoor, who had reportedly returned from an all-day Congress event.