Sunanda Pushkar autopsy row: Shashi Tharoor demands quick probe

A day after a new twist in the mysterious death of his wife Sunanda Pushkar came to the fore, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor demanded swift probe into the matter.

Zee Media Bureau

Thiruvananthapuram: A day after a new twist in the mysterious death of his wife Sunanda Pushkar came to the fore, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday demanded swift probe into the matter. As questions were being raised over his involvement in the case, Tharoor tried to come clean by saying that he and his family have always cooperated with authorities probing the matter. He added that he has been seeking a thorough probe in the matter since the beginning. The Congress leader said he wants speedy inquiry for a "clear and definitive conclusion" over the cause of death of his wife. Tharoor posted the statement on his Facebook account after evading questions by media earlier in the day. The former Union minister said a swift probe into the case will put all speculations to rest. Meanwhile, the government today sought a detailed report from the AIIMS on the reported allegation by a senior forensic doctor that he was pressurised to manipulate the report of the autopsy of Sunanda. "After I became the Health Minister, Dr Sudhir Gupta of AIIMS had written to our department regarding his promotion. But after TV channels yesterday said that he has made a specific allegation, I have written to the AIIMS Director seeking a detailed information in this regard," Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said. The allegation by Dr Gupta, who heads the Forensic Science department of AIIMS, has added a new twist to the mystery surrounding the death of 52-year-old Sunanda, who was found dead in a five-star hotel in South Delhi on the night of January 17, a day after her Twitter spat with Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar over an alleged affair with Tharoor. Gupta refused to comment on his reported allegation, saying he has already stated the facts before the "competent" authorities. Gupta, who was heading the panel that conducted Sunanda`s postmorterm, has reportedly alleged he was pressurised to show that her death was natural which he resisted. The autopsy report had mentioned more than a dozen injury marks on Sunanda`s both hands and an abrasion on her cheek which suggests a "use of blunt force", besides a "deep teeth bite" on the edge of her left palm. Viscera samples were preserved after the autopsy at AIIMS and were sent to CFSL for further tests. The CFSL report hinted at drug poisoning but its findings were not conclusive enough to file an FIR in the case, according to police. In a report to the police, the SDM, who had recorded the statements of Sunanda`s brother, son, Tharoor and his staff, had said that no family member suspected any foul play in the death. (With Agency inputs)