Arguing on the framing of charges against Congress leader Shashi Tharoor in connection with the death of his wife, Sunanda Pushkar, the Delhi police told the court on August 20, 2019, that Pushkar’s body had 15 injury marks. These injuries were caused by the blunt force produced in a scuffle, police alleged.
Additional Public Prosecutor Atul Srivastava told Special Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar: “The post-mortem, by a board of senior doctors at AIIMS, found 15 ante-mortem injuries on her person.”
Srivastava claimed the injuries were mostly contusions on the right forearm, one bite mark and a mark left by an injection.
“To the best of my knowledge, the cause of death is poisoning. There are blunt force injuries, which are simple in nature, and produced in a scuffle. The injury marks are for the duration of 12 hours to four days,” Srivastava said.
According to prosecution Sunanda was upset with her husband after she found messages exchanged between him and Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar.
“Our case is of mental as well as physical cruelty committed towards the deceased [Pushkar] to compel her to take her life,” Srivastava told the court.
Tharoor was booked under Sections 498-A (husband or his relative subjecting a woman to cruelty) and 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.
He has consistently denied all charges, calling them preposterous and motivated.
On May 14 last year, Tharoor said in a tweet: “I have taken note of the filing of this preposterous charge sheet &intend to contest it vigorously. No one who knew Sunanda believes she would ever have committed suicide, let alone abetment on my part...If this is conclusion arrived at after 4+ yrs of investigation it does not speak well of the methods or motivations of the Delhi Police....!”
(With inputs from agencies)
