Police to probe IPL angle in Sunanda's death

Police sources said other than various matters that could be related to the incident, Tharoor was questioned about the IPL controversy

After a round of questioning of Shashi Tharoor, Delhi Police today made it clear that it will probe if IPL angle was related to the death of his wife Sunanda Pushkar.

Delhi Police Chief B S Bassi said the former Union Minister was "cooperative" during four-hour-long questioning last night. He did not rule out his further questioning.

Asked about the future course of action in the case, he said the Special Investigating Team (SIT) will analyse what Tharoor had told them and then take further action.

On whether the SIT was looking into the IPL angle, he said, "Whatever has been said about IPL will be relevant and will definitely be asked about" as the objective is to reach to the bottom of the truth.

Police sources said other than various matters that could be related to the incident, 58-year-old Tharoor was questioned about the IPL controversy.

52-year-old Sunanda was found dead in a five-star hotel room here on January 17 last year. Delhi Police recently filed a case of murder in the case.

The IPL controversy broke in early 2010 when Tharoor was Minister of State for External Affairs. There were allegations that he had "misused" his office to ensure that Rs 70 crore, which was equivalent to 19 % equity in IPL Kochi franchise Rendezvous Sports, was paid to Sunanda.

Sunanda, who was a friend and yet to become Tharoor's wife at that time, had refuted allegations of any wrongdoing. She had also denied that she was acting as the front person to Tharoor in the Kochi IPL franchise.

"I am rendering services for Kochi franchise. (I) have advised them in getting IPL. I am also advising them on marketing and branding and hence I am getting sweat equity. It is only on paper now. I have not yet got it," Pushkar had said in a statement when the IPL controversy broke out.

Later, she quit Rendezvous Sports World after deciding to return her free equity worth Rs 70 crore to the franchise in a last ditch attempt to save Tharoor.