Shashi Tharoor has been charged by Delhi Police in the Sunanda Pushkar death case
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has been charged with abetting suicide in the death of his wife Sunanda Pushkar in 2014 at a hotel in Delhi. Mr Tharoor has also been accused of cruelty in his marriage in the chargesheet submitted by the Delhi Police in a Delhi court today. Mr Tharoor is a Congress parliamentarian from Kerala. He denied the charges and called them "preposterous". Mr Tharoor is the only person named as an accused in the 3,000-page chargesheet filed by the Delhi Police. Sunanda Pushkar was 51 when was found dead in her suite at a luxury hotel in south Delhi on January 17, 2014. She was found dead days after she accused Shashi Tharoor of having an affair with a Pakistani journalist. Delhi Police have said they found no evidence of murder but circumstances were such that she had been driven to suicide -- she had not been eating or even leaving her room, the chargesheet says.
Here are the updates on the Sunanda Pushkar death case:
"This is a politically targeted and articulated charge sheet against Dr Shashi Tharoor who is a man of ethics who upholds his values throughout his professional and personal life! This agenda is not going to withstand and serve their intention to tarnish him," former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy tweeted.
"Staying off Twitter for a while -- one encounters too much epicaricacy!" Shashi Tharoor tweeted. He also posted what the word "epicaricacy" meant: "Epicaricacy means deriving pleasure from the misfortune of others."
The chargesheet says the brothers and the son of Ms Pushkar have made "no allegations against anyone", news agency Press Trust of India reported.
"We condemn this politically biased charge sheet against Dr Shashi Tharoor. This is a futile attempt to tarnish the image of an exemplary Congress leader. Dr Tharoor has our unwavering support," the Congress tweeted.
"On the basis of medico-legal and forensic evidence analysed during investigation as well as opinion of psychological autopsy experts, the charge sheet was filed. The matter is sub judice," a Delhi Police spokesperson said, news agency Press Trust of India reported.
"The Congress Party stands by Dr Tharoor and denounces this politically motivated charge sheet against him," the Congress tweeted.
The 62-year-old former union minister Shashi Tharoor was questioned by the police on the circumstances in which Sunanda Pushkar checked into the luxury hotel in south Delhi two days before her death. The couple had allegedly had a huge fight on a flight from Kerala to Delhi.
Police sources say the couple fought frequently and Sunanda Pushkar was taking depression pills without prescription.
"It does not speak well of the methods or motivations of the Delhi Police. In oct 17, the Law Officer made a statement in the Delhi High Court that they have not found anything against anyone & now in 6 months they say that I have abetted a suicide. unbelievable!" Shashi Tharoor tweeted.
"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," Congress leader Shashi Tharoor tweeted as he was charged in the Sunanda Pushkar death case.