Sunanda Pushkar case: Court asks police to report on result of 3.5-yr probe

The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed the Delhi Police to give a status report in three days in connection with the death of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's wife Sunanda Pushkar case.

The court has also asked to mention all that the Delhi Police has done till now in 3.5 years.

The next date of hearing is August 1.

Even the Home Ministry is to file a status report within three days.

The petitioner in the case, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Thursday categorically said that it is clearly a murder and that Tharoor has been seeking help from a few people of the saffron party as well.

"Let me make a charge that Shashi Tharoor is seeking the help of some elements in my own party (the BJP). I have brought this to the attention of the Prime Minister and I am thankful to him to have given me a free hand. He has said nobody will intervene in the investigation," Swamy said.

Swamy further said that the Delhi Police has no objection with a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the case.

"The Delhi Police said that they have no objection with the CBI inquiry, but they would like to tell what they have done in the case in 3.5 years. There is no status report given by the police yet. What was given is that they said they wanted to give in writing. Both, the Home Ministry and the Delhi Police, will file the status report within three days," he said.

"I don't want the Delhi Police to be out of it. I want them to be a part of the SIT. The court needs to monitor so that political interests do not intervene in favour of Shashi Tharoor," Swamy added.

Sunanda Pushkar was found dead at a suite in a five-star hotel in South Delhi on the night of January 17, 2014.

Swamy on July 6 this year had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Delhi High Court seeking a court-monitored enquiry into the mysterious death of Sunanda.

During the hearing, the Delhi High Court observed that there is a delay in the case and asked Swamy as to why he had come at such a later stage.

The Delhi HC also stated that during the time of the case, Tharoor may have been in power, but asks what influence he wields now.

To this, Swamy submitted a statement that said: "I've come after exhausting all other possibilities. Tharoor is still an MP and belongs to the largest Opposition party.