Who was Sunanda Pushkar? A sneak peek into Shashi Tharoor and Sunanda Pushkar’s life
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor was cleared from all charges related to his wife Sunanda Pushkar’s death row. Tharoor was charged Under Section 498A, marital cruelty and 306, abetment to suicide of Indian Penal Code by the Delhi Police. A Delhi court abstained from frame charges against the Congress MP and cleared him from all charges. Tharoor showed gratitude towards the judge and said it was absolute torture for the last 7.5 years. But who was Sunanda Pushkar and how she met Shashi Tharoor? Let us take a look at the timeline of events.
After the verdict of Delhi High Court, Shashi Tharoor said, “This brings a significant conclusion to the long nightmare which had enveloped me after the tragic passing of my late wife Sunanda.” In his tweet, he continued by adding, “I have weathered dozens of unfolded accusations and media vilification patiently sustained my faith in the judiciary, which today stands vindicated.”
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) August 18, 2021
How did Tharoor become the main accuse?
In January 2014, Sunanda Pushkar engaged in a war of words with a Pakistani journalist over the latter’s alleged affair with Tharoor. On 17 January 2014, two days after the ugly Twitter fight, Pushkar was found dead under mysterious circumstances at Delhi’s Leela Palace Hotel. Pushkar’s death, after her Twitter, spat with the Pakistani journalist, triggered shock and speculation in the political circle.
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A probe began in 2014 over the suspicion of possible drug overdose and suicide. An AIIMS medical board that conducted Pushkar’s post mortem said that she was poisoned but did not mention the substance. An AIIMS doctor leading the post mortem had said that he was being pressured to alter the autopsy report. The report was further sent to the United States FBI for assessment, which ruled out the theory of poisoning having caused her death.
In 2016, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Delhi police questioned Tharoor on the case. In 2018, the Delhi Police filed a charge sheet on the case, naming Shashi Tharoor a prime accused in the case. The former Union Minister was out of bail and fought the legal battle against the charges framed by the Delhi police.
In the year 2019, the Delhi polices had sought out the Delhi Court to prosecute Shashi for abetment to suicide or “alternatively” frame murder charges against him.
The galouti Kabab is under the dome filled with mist what an idea Super @SanjeevKapoor . pic.twitter.com/aPV13qpdje
— SunandaPTharoor (@sptvrock) January 8, 2014
Tharoor’s lawyers had argued that there was no evidence against him to prove the offences of cruelty or abetment to suicide.
Tharoor had told the court that Pushkar’s death should be considered an accident, as she was suffering from various medical ailments. The court declared that the prosecution failed to conclusively establish the cause of Pushkar’s death after years of investigation. The former Union minister was also alleged that he was hounded by the media over his alleged role in the death case.
Who was Sunanda Pushkar ?
With @azizjamal & @ShashiTharoor wearing his @Amiradnan1 kurta looking fabulous thanks @humaadnan loved him in it pic.twitter.com/PSXKO609PJ
— SunandaPTharoor (@sptvrock) January 11, 2014
Sunanda was a businesswoman. She owned many businesses, including a spa in Dubai. She used to manage an infrastructure company, owned by Emirate Government. She had also worked with an advertising firm, a travel agency in Dubai as well as associated with an IT firm in Toronto. Hailing from Kashmir, her father was a retired Lieutenant Colonel.
How Shashi met Sunanda?
Shashi Tharoor had always recognized Sunanda as her close friend when numerous speculations were buzzing around of their affair. In the year 2008, Sunanda met Shashi in a high-profile party, when the latter had not recognized himself as a politician. The duo began meeting more often and love sparked between them in Dubai.
In the year 2010, former chairman and commissioner of IPL, Lalit Modi. Modi claimed that a key politician pressured him not to disclose Sunanda Pushkar’s share in the Kochi IPL team. It was estimated to be 70 crores.
Again, accusations were levied on Shashi Tharoor and he lost his ministry. On 22 August 2010, Shashi Tharoor and Sunanda Pushkar finally tied the knot. It was a coincidence that both of them were marrying for the third time. Tharoor married the first time to Tilottama Mukherji in the year 1981. After his divorce from her, Tharoor married fellow Union Nations employee Christa Giles but parted ways with her soon.
