Sunanda Pushkar 'ignored' by Shashi Tharoor days before her suicide; next hearing on June 5

In a new development, Delhi's Patiala House court on Monday reserved its order on cognisance of chargesheet against Congress MP Shashi Tharoor in the four-and-half-year-old Sunanda Pushkar death case.

In its next hearing on June 5, the court will decide whether to summon Congress leader Shashi Tharoor as an accused in the case. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal will pass the order in case the counsel for prosecution manages to gather enough evidence against Tharoor.

On May 14, the Delhi police submitted a 3000-page chargesheet that accuses the Lok Sabha MP of abetting wife Sunanda Pushkar’s suicide. The police have also told the court that Tharoor should be summoned in the case, claiming there was sufficient evidence against him.

Quoting from the chargesheet, the prosecution explained why this is a case of abetment to suicide and cruelty.

"Her statements on social media can be treated as dying declaration. Sunanda's death is due to poisoning," the chargesheet suggests.

Sunanda Pushkar death case: Delhi's Patiala House Court sets June 5 for order on cognizance of chargesheet against Congress MP Shashi Tharoor

— ANI (@ANI) May 28, 2018

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Talking about Pushkar's social media statements, she emailed Tharoor that she had no desire to live and all she was praying for is death.

"I have no desire to live...all I pray for is death," the mail reads. Pushkar wrote the mail to her husband on January 8, 2014, nine days before her death.

Quoting a special investigation team, the chargesheet also accused Tharoor of ignoring his wife while she was sliding or slipping into depression. "He ignored her calls," the special team found. Tharoor had also frequent fights with Pushkar days before her death.

Sunanda Pushkar death case: Prosecution quotes from the charges-sheet, explains why this case is of abetment to suicide and cruelty, says, "Her statements on social media can be treated as dying declaration. Sunanda's death is due to poisoning."

— ANI (@ANI) May 28, 2018

"Though injury marks were not serious but they are consistent with claims that the couple fought," the chargesheet added. The police had also video recorded all the statements made by Pushkar's friends regarding the same.

Pushkar was found dead in a luxury hotel room of Delhi on January 17, 2014. The police had found 27 tablets of Alprax though it is not clear that how many she had.

Read | Sunanda Pushkar death case transferred to designated court

Pushkar commited suicide days after a public spat at the Kochi airport with Tharoor, who she suspected was having an extra-marital affair with a Pakistani journalist.

The Congress leader has been charged under sections 498 A (husband or his relative subjecting a woman to cruelty) and 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code. Under section 498A, the maximum punishment is up to three years of imprisonment, while jail term up to 10 years is prescribed under section 306.

The couple's domestic servant, Narayan Singh, is one of the key witnesses in the case.