Delhi Police Moves High Court Against Discharge Of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor In Sunanda Pushkar Death Case

The Delhi Police has moved the High Court against the trial court's decision to discharge Congress MP Dr. Shashi Tharoor in the Sunanda Pushkar death case.

Tharoor was discharged in August last year by Special Judge Geetanjali Goel of Rouse Avenue Courts.

Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma issued notice on Delhi Police's application seeking condonation of delay in approaching the court, while listing the matter for hearing next on February 7, 2023.

Senior Advocate Vikas Pahwa appearing for Tharoor submitted before the court that a copy of the plea has not been served on him. He also said that the criminal revision has been moved after a delay of about 15 months of passing of the impugned order.

He further averred that as per Chapter 17 of the Delhi High Court Rules, record of a criminal revision is not to be shared with a stranger to the case and that the same can only be done after reasons are shown to the satisfaction of the court.

The counsel appearing for Delhi Police submitted that there was no objection to the said contention. Accordingly, the court ordered thus:

"…..copy of the petition and document shall not be supplied to any person not party to the case."

The Delhi Police had filed chargesheet against Tharoor for offences under Section 498A (cruelty) and 306(abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code.

Pushkar had been found dead in January 2014 at a hotel in New Delhi. An FIR was filed in 2015. In May 2018, Tharoor was charged with abetment to suicide and marital cruelty under the Indian Penal Code.

Discharging Tharoor of the charges of cruelty and abetment to suicide, the trial court had observed that there was no prima facie willful conduct on his part which was likely to drive Pushkar to commit suicide.

It was also observed that in absence of sufficient material, Tharoor cannot be compelled to face the rigmaroles of a criminal trial.

The special judge had also observed that none of the reports submitted by Doctors and Autopsy Board confirmed the cause of death as suicide.