Read Time: 04 minutes

A Delhi court on Friday adjourned its order on framing of charges against Congress MP Shashi Tharoor in the criminal case concerning the death of Sunanda Pushkar, his wife.

Due to ongoing Covid-19 Pandemic, Delhi District Courts have adopted the norm to hear only urgent and final hearing matters through virtual mode. Due to this norm, on Friday the court of Special Judge Geetanjali Goel adjourned the pronouncement of the order for the second time.

Earlier the Rouse Avenue Court had on June 16 adjourned the passing of the order for July 2.

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.

The Delhi Court had reserved judgment in the matter on April 12.

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

Appearing for Tharoor, Senior advocate told the court during the arguments that the probe carried out by the SIT absolved Tharoor of all the charges levelled against him. He 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 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.

Shashi Tharoor is currently on bail.