Delhi Police Have Not Shown Sunanda Pushkar's Actual Cause of Death: Shashi Tharoor Tells Court

In the proceedings before Special CBI Judge today, the counsel appearing for Shashi Tharoor argued that no evidence or reports have been put on record to prove the actual cause of Sunanda Pushkar's death.

Senior Advocate Vikas Pahwa, appearing for Tharoor, informed the court that since no report has been able to ascertain the actual cause of death of Pushkar, the police have conducted secondary methods such as 'psychological autopsy'.

He went on to explain psychological autopsy as a valuable research conducted on competed suicide. It's done on complete information of the victim received from multiple informants and records to ascertain what was the mental condition of the victim at the time of her death.

Mr Pahwa also informed the court that the night before her death, Sunanda Pushkar tweeted a joint statement which suggests that the couple 'had no issues with their marriage'.

It was also argued that despite having custody of everything, from phone to computer or the deceased, the police has peculiarly not put these tweets on record. To seek the same, an application was also moved under section 91 of Criminal Procedure Code. Mr Pahwa said:

'Sunanda Pushkar had last tweeted on the morning of the day of her death. These tweets are primary sources to ascertain her mental state right at the time of her death.'

Special CBI Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar has issued a notice to Delhi Police to reply to the application filed by Tharoor.

Sunanda Pushkar died on January 17, 2014. As per the case of the prosecution, she died of poisoning due to consumption of Alprazolam.

In the last hearing, Delhi Police pressed charges against Tharoor under sections 498A, 306 or alternatively 302 of Indian Penal Code. Currently, Shashi Tharoor is out on bail.

The next date of hearing will be on November 15.