Sunanda Pushkar death case: HC issues notice to Tharoor on Delhi police plea

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday issued a notice to Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on the police’s plea against the trial court's decision to discharge him in the Sunanda Pushkar death case.

Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma issued the notice on Delhi Police's application seeking condonation of delay in approaching the court. He listed the matter for hearing next on February 7, 2023.

The plea was filed 15 months after the lower court's order.
Tharoor was discharged in August last year by Special Judge Geetanjali Goel of Rouse Avenue Courts.

Tharoor, in his submission, said that a copy of the plea has not been served on him. He also said that the criminal revision has been moved after a delay of about 15 months of the passing of the impugned order.

The Delhi Police had filed chargesheet against Tharoor for offences under Section 498A (cruelty) and 306(abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code.

Pushkar had been found dead in January 2014 at a hotel in New Delhi. An FIR was filed in 2015. In May 2018, Tharoor was charged with abetment to suicide and marital cruelty under the Indian Penal Code.

Discharging Tharoor of the charges of cruelty and abetment to suicide, the trial court had observed that there was no prima facie willful conduct on his part that was likely to drive Pushkar to commit suicide.

(With inputs from Live Law)