Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah came out in support of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor soon after the latter was discharged in his wife Sunanda Pushkar’s death case. While backing the Congress leader, Abdullah took a dig at the alleged ‘prime time’ trial by ‘Kangaroo courts’.
Also read: ‘Long nightmare… ‘: Shashi Tharoor after being let off in Sunanda Pushkar death case
“Guilt and innocence are established in a court of law not in a kangaroo court during prime time. If any of those self appointed “nation wants to know” types had half a spine they would tender an unconditional apology to Shashi,” the National Conference leader tweeted soon after a Delhi court discharged the case against 65-year-old Tharoor on Wednesday.
Tharoor also spoke of ‘media vilification’ in his statement after the court order. “I have weathered dozens of accusations and media vilification patiently,” he wrote.
“This brings a significant conclusion to a long nightmare that had enveloped me after the tragic passing of my late wife Sunanda… Fact that justice has been done will allow all of us in the family to mourn Sunanda in peace,” the Congress leader added.
Pushkar was found dead in a luxury hotel in south Delhi on January 17, 2014 and Tharoor had been accused of abetting her suicide. Pushkar’s death had come amid reports of problems in her marriage and a day after she had had a public spat with Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar over her alleged affair with Tharoor.
An autopsy on Pushkar’s body concluded that it appeared to be a case of sudden, unnatural death as injury marks were found on her body and traces of anti-anxiety drug Alprazolam were found in her stomach.
The case was then handed to the Delhi Police and following an investigation, he was charged in 2018 with abetting suicide. He has been charged under Sections 498-A (husband or his relative subjecting a woman to cruelty) and 306 (abetment of suicide), but has not been taken into custody in the case.