In a big relief for Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, a Delhi
court on Wednesday discharged him in the Sunanda Pushkar death case.
Special judge Geetanjali Goel said, "the accused is
discharged". The order was pronounced in presence of Tharoor, senior
advocate Vikas Pahwa, appearing on behalf of Tharoor, and additional public
prosecutor Atul Shrivastava.
Tharoor, who attended the court proceedings virtually,
thanked the court for discharging him of all offences. He said, "It had
been seven and half years and it was a torture. I'm so grateful."
The order in the matter has been deferred several times
earlier. On July 27, the prosecution had submitted that it wanted to bring on
record and rely upon a recent judgment on the aspect of a "prima
facie" case at the time of framing of charges. Goel had directed for the
judgment to be placed on record and its copy to be supplied to Tharoor's
counsel. However, the court clarified, "I will not be entertaining any
more applications".
Earlier on April 29, May 19 and June 16, the order was
deferred due to the pandemic impacting the judicial work. The order
pronouncement was adjourned again on July 2, after the court received an
application from the prosecution seeking one week's time to file written
submissions.
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Pushkar was found dead on the evening of January 17,
2014. Initially, Delhi police investigated the same as a murder, with an FIR
registered under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), it
charged Tharoor under Sections 306 (abetment of suicide) and 498A (cruelty by
husband).
Shrivastava had argued that before her death, Pushkar had
sustained injuries on her body, and they were reflected in the post mortem
report. He submitted 27 tablets of Alprax were found in her room, although it
was not clear as to how many pills she had consumed.