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Synopsis

The Delhi Police moved an application before the Delhi High Court on Thursday challenging the Trial Court’s order discharging Congrees Member of Parliament (MP) Shashi Tharoor in connection with his wife, Sunanda Pushkar’s death.

Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma issued notice on the application moved by the Delhi Police and listed the matter for further hearing on February 7, 2023.

Special Judge Geetanjali Goel of the Rouse Avenue Court, Delhi on August 18, 2021, had discharged Tharoor of all the charges pressed by the Delhi Police.

Sunanda Pushkar was found dead in a room of a luxury Delhi hotel in mysterious circumstances on the night of January 17, 2014. The couple was staying in the hotel due to some renovation work at Tharoor’s official bungalow. A First Information Report (FIR) was registered by the Delhi Police after Pushkar was found dead in her suite.

In 2019, the Delhi Police had pressed for framing of charges against Congress MP Shashi Tharoor under Section 498A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty), 306 (abetment to suicide) or alternatively under 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code.

Trial Court Hearing:

Senior Advocate Vikas Pahwa had appeared on behalf of Tharoor whereas Additional Public Prosecutor Atul Shrivastava had appeared on behalf of the State.

Appearing for Tharoor, Senior advocate had then told the court during the arguments that the probe carried out by the SIT absolved Tharoor of all the charges levelled against him. He had also sought Tharoor's discharge from the case, arguing that there was no proof against the politician implicating him in the case under either Section 498A or Section 306 of the IPC.

Whereas, the Prosecution had urged the Court to frame charges against Tharoor based on the prima facie existence of a case for trial in terms of Section 221 of CrPC.

Case Title: State of NCT of Delhi v. Shashi Tharoor