Sunanda Pushkar death: Court order on charges against Tharoor expected today

A court in Delhi's Rouse Avenue is scheduled to pronounce on Wednesday its judgement on whether charges should be framed against Congress MP Shashi Tharoor over the death of his wife Sunanda Pushkar in 2014.

The order is expected to be pronounced at 11am.

Sunanda Pushkar was found dead in a luxury hotel in Delhi in January 2014. Tharoor was a minister in the UPA government at the time, and the couple was staying at the hotel as their official residence was being renovated. Tharoor was charged under sections 498A and 306 of the Indian Penal Code by Delhi Police, but was not arrested in the case. Tharoor was granted bail in the case in July 2018.

During the arguments, while police had sought framing of various charges, including 306 (abetment of suicide), senior advocate Vikas Pahwa, appearing for Tharoor, told the court that the investigation conducted by an SIT completely exonerated the politician of all the charges levelled against him.

Pahwa sought Tharoor's discharge in the case, saying there was no evidence against him to prove the offence punishable under either section 498A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) or 306 (abetment of suicide) of IPC.

The court of special judge Geetanjali Goel was initially scheduled to deliver its judgment on July 27, but deferred its order to August 18, while allowing the prosecution to submit certain documents.

The documents include various judgements from the Supreme Court and High Courts, along with written submissions.

(With PTI inputs)