Delhi court ‘discharges’ Tharoor in Sunanda case; 7-yr nightmare ends
After a Delhi court discharged Shashi Tharoor in the case relating to the death of his wife Sunanda Pushkar in January 2014, the senior Congress leader on Wednesday thanked the Indian judiciary, saying that his “faith in the judicial system stands vindicated” and that the ruling brings a “significant conclusion to the long nightmare” he has faced since 2014.
Special judge Geetanjali Goel passed the order at a virtual hearing in the case related to Pushkar’s death at a luxury hotel in New Delhi.
Mr Tharoor, who had been targeted and his image tarnished particularly by the television media for the past seven and a half years, thanked the judge after the order was pronounced, saying it had been “an absolute torture” for over seven years and the order was “a great relief”.
Later, he released a statement saying that “justice has been done… which will allow everyone in the family to mourn Sunanda in peace”.
Posting his statement on Twitter, Mr Tharoor said: “I would like to express my humble thanks to Judge Geetanjali Goel for her orders today, discharging me from the charges levied by the Delhi Police, which I have consistently described as preposterous.”
Mr Tharoor said the ruling brings a significant conclusion to the “long nightmare which had enveloped” him after the tragic passing of his wife. “I have weathered dozens of unfounded accusations and the media vilification patiently, sustained by my faith in the Indian judiciary, which today stands vindicated,” the MP from Thiruvananthapuram and ormer Union minister said.
In our justice system, he said, “the process is too often the punishment”. He added: “Nonetheless, the fact that justice has been done, at last, will allow all of us in the family to mourn Sunanda in peace.” Mr Tharoor, in his statement, also
I have weathered dozens of unfounded accusations and the media vilification patiently, sustained by my faith in the Indian judiciary, which today stands vindicated
— Shashi Tharoor Congress leader
thanked his lawyers, particularly Vikas Pahwa and Gaurav Gupta, for all they had done to bring the case to this conclusion.
During the arguments, while the police sought the framing of various charges, including under Section 306 (abetment of suicide), Mr Pahwa appearing for Mr Tharoor, told the court the investigation conducted by the SIT completely exonerated the politician of all the charges levelled against him. Mr Pahwa sought Mr Tharoor’s discharge in the case, saying there was no evidence against him to prove the offence.
He had earlier told the court the family and friends of Pushkar have maintained she couldn’t have died by suicide, and therefore there can’t be any abetment charge on this ground. The maximum punishment for this offence is 10 years of imprisonment.
Mr Pahwa had earlier said the post-mortem and other medical reports had established that it was neither suicide nor homicide.
After the order was pronounced, Mr Pahwa said the charges levelled by the police for abetment to suicide and cruelty were absurd and preposterous. All the reports of various medical boards, including the Psychological Autopsy Reports, exonerated Mr Tharoor on charges of homicide or suicide, saying the chargesheet was filed without any basis.
Advocate Gaurav Gupta, also representing Mr Tharoor, pointed out that there was no complaint by anyone of harassment or abetment to suicide by any of the family members or friends of Sunanda Pushkar.
Pushkar was found dead in a suite of a luxury hotel in the city on the night of January 17, 2014. The couple was staying at the hotel as the official bungalow of Mr Tharoor was being renovated at that time. Mr Tharoor was charged under Sections 498A (husband or relative of woman subjecting her to cruelty) as well as Section 306 IPC by the Delhi police, but he was not arrested in the case.
Mr Tharoor was granted anticipatory bail by a sessions court on July 5, 2018. After that order, a magisterial court converted the anticipatory bail into regular bail after he appeared before it on July 7, 2018 in pursuance to the summons issued by the metropolitan magistrate in the matter.