Tharoor gets court nod to travel abroad

A Delhi court on Friday allowed Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, an accused in a case related to his wife Sunanda Pushkar's death, to travel abroad.

Special Judge Arun Bhardwaj granted permission to Tharoor to go to the United States of America, Canada, Germany, Maldives, the United Kingdom and Republic of Korea from August 5 to October 2.

In his application, the Thiruvananthapuram MP had claimed that he has been invited as a speaker and has some other engagements in these countries.

"The application of the applicant/accused Shashi Tharoor is allowed and he is permitted to travel outside India from August 5 to October 2," the court said.

While granting Tharoor bail in the case, the court had directed him not to leave the country without its prior permission.

The court also directed him to furnish an FD in the sum of Rs 2 lakh before the court which shall be returned to him after he is back to India.

"Tharoor shall not tamper with the evidence nor try to influence any witness in any manner and will not use the permission granted to him contrary to the rules," the court said.

The former Union minister has been charged under Sections 498-A (husband or his relative subjecting a woman to cruelty) and 306 (abetment of suicide) of the IPC, but has not been arrested in the case.

Pushkar was found dead in a suite of a luxury hotel in the city on the night of January 17, 2014. The couple was staying in the hotel as the official bungalow of Tharoor was being renovated at that time.