Sunanda Pushkar Murder tapes - Severe flaws in investigation
After an expose on the Sunanda Pushkar murder case, Republic has now released a document alleging severe flaws in investigation. The document, prepared by Delhi Police in January'17, three years after the incident, shows crucial evidence including medicines, laptop and phones were seized several days after the murder - in one case, 11 days later. By then, data on the phones had been erased.
Republic TV expose - Is Tharoor involved in Sunanda's murder?
Arnab Goswami's Republic TV aired 19 tapes in its expose of Shashi Tharoor's alleged involvement in his wife Sunanda Pushkar's death. They revealed telephonic conversations involving Tharoor's "right-hand man", Narayan, and Republic TV's journalist Prema Sridevi. A recording between Prema and Sunanda revealed the latter wanted to divulge "everything" before she mysteriously died on 17 Jan'14 in Delhi's Leela Palace Hotel.
Tharoor's alleged goons attack Republic journalists as parliamentarian denies accusations
Following the broadcast of tapes, Tharoor denied involvement in Sunanda's murder and described the accusations as "exasperating farrago of distortions, misrepresentations and outright lies". He challenged Goswami to prove the same in a court of law. Republic TV later tweeted that their senior journalist Aditya Raj Kaul was manhandled by Tharoor. Kaul and other crew members were allegedly attacked by Tharoor's goons.
Shashi Tharoor's tweet
Shashi Tharoor tweeted, "Pathetic2see the depths2which some will sink2attract TRPs. I have nothing to hide from the police&the courts but nothing to say2such people."
Delhi Police to examine Republic TV's tapes
According to Republic TV, Delhi Police will examine the tapes and take them as evidence. It said no closure report would be filed and re-examination of evidence would start. Police would also examine the 'false evidence' angle; Tharoor's assistant will be questioned.
Sunanda Pushkar Murder tapes- Perjury, lies... the list goes on
Republic TV exposed nine inconsistencies between their aired tapes and testimony presented to police by Shashi Tharoor and his right-hand man, Narayan, in the Sunanda Pushkar murder case. Major ones include a) the hotel room in which Sunanda Pushkar's body was found (tape says 307, testimony claims 345); b) who sent Narayan away before the murder; and c) was Tharoor present when it happened.
Marks on Sunanda's body
Republic claims the marks on Sunanda's body suggest she was beaten up before the murder. Prema, who met Sunanda a day before the incident, claimed she had no marks the last time she saw her. However, official autopsy reports indicated Sunanda died of drug overdose.
Custodial interrogation - The next step?
Lying during testimony is considered perjury, and could lead to prosecution of a person. Narayan had, as it seems, lied to the police in his testimony. Custodial interrogation could be the next step in the investigation as tampering with evidence is a cognizable, non-bailable offence. The tapes suggest Narayan had withheld information on Tharoor's presence and the room number from the police.
The unanswered questions!
Several questions have remained unanswered: there is still no explanation for the delay in seizure of items. Moreover, Delhi Police recovered them in installments, but why? Who had them in the meantime?
