Sunanda Pushkar's death mystery: Why is Shashi Tharoor still silent?

Instead of getting resolved, the mystery regarding the death of Sunanda Pushkar, the wife of former Union minister and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor is getting murkier by the day. The case took a new turn on Thursday with the leak of her latest post mortem report submitted to AIIMS, that stated the cause of death as "poisoning" . However, the Delhi Police, which is investigating the case, has a different opinion on the matter. “The forensic report at the moment is not conclusive, our inquest status in today’s date is pending,” Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi told reporters in New Delhi. [caption id=“attachment_1750861” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Sunanda Pushkar. PTI[/caption] Adding to the complexity of the matter was the silence of Tharoor, who refused to comment on the latest findings. “I will accept that Sunanda’s death was an unnatural one. But whether it is a suicide or a murder it has to be established. Let there be a CBI enquiry to find out what the truth is,” said Rajya Sabha MP and senior advocate KTS Tulsi. Unwilling to agree that Tharoor is a suspect, Tulsi said, “The Central Forensic Science Laboratory says that India has not all facilities to recognise all poisons. We should wait for the judiciary to deliver justice.” BJP leader Subramanian Swamy found many loopholes in the stand taken by Tharoor. “We are not convicting anybody just now. we had enough of lies and tampering of evidence. Why did Tharoor say he had palpitation of heart when he was totally fine as per the medical records? Why was Sunanda’s body cremated in such a hurry? Why did Tharoor write mails to the AIIMS director to say it was a natural death and Sunanda had lupas when it is now established she did not. We need a CBI enquiry. Delhi Police is not in a position to do justice,” said Swamy. The BJP leader also alleged despite Tharoor private secretary informing him at 4.30 pm that Sunanda is no more, the Congress leader told the cops that he came to know about his wife’s death at 7.30 pm. BJP spokesperson Shaina NC also did not agree that Tharoor was grieving all the while. “Shashi is not grieving. He is smiling and smirking and said he had no comments to make. Except for this his life is going on normally be it elections or other things. If Tharoor is grieving should not he be keen for a quick investigation? Why should be silent when all the while he was not?” asked Shaina. She also pointed out Sunanda was 52-year-old lady who was in her pink of health without any kidney, heart or lupas problem. The delay and shoddy investigation done by the Delhi Police so far has also given fillip to many doubts. “Truth has only version. How can there be so many twists and turns about a lady who is the wife of Shashi Tharoor? This is a very shoddy police and forensic investigation. What was the police doing all this while? The high and mighty can manufacture, buy and even hush up evidence,” said former AAP leader Shazia Ilmi. Director of Centre for Social Research and Member of National Mission for Empowerment of Women Ranjana Kumari felt that there are more questions than answers. “Why this delay of 10 months? Why did Shashi write to the AIIMS director about lupas? If death occurs within seven years of marriage, the FIR is lodged against the husband. This makes Shashi a suspect as per the law. Just to make believe that the country has a good judicial system in place and the high and mighty cannot get away, we need to get the bottom of the case,” Kumari said. With prima facie evidence suggesting foul play in the death of Sunanda Pushkar, the Congress was finding it tough to shield its Lok Sabha MP from Thiruvananthapuram from all the suspicions. “If Shashi Tharoor is under suspicion then the government of the day led by a person with a 56-inch chest should order an investigation and finish it off. It doesn’t matter which way it goes,” said Congress spokesperson Tehseen Poonawalla. That’s a far-fetched argument by any stretch of imagination.