Congress leader Shashi Tharoor was on Wednesday cleared by a Delhi court of all charges in the death case of his wife Sunanda Pushkar, seven years after she was found dead under mysterious circumstances in her room at a Delhi hotel on January 17, 2014. She died a day after having a public spat with a Pakistani journalist over the latter’s alleged affair with Tharoor.

An autopsy stated 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 handed to the Delhi Police and following an investigation, Tharoor was charged with abetting suicide in 2018. 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.

In July, a Delhi Court reserved its order on the issue of framing of charges against Tharoor.

Special Judge Geetanjli Goel heard arguments from the counsel appearing for Delhi Police as well as Tharoor. While the police sought framing of various charges, including 306 (abetment of suicide), Senior Advocate Vikas Pahwa, appearing for Tharoor, told the court that the investigation conducted by the Special Investigation Team completely exonerated the politician of all the charges levelled against him.

Pahwa sought Tharoor’s discharge in the case, saying there was no evidence against him to prove the offence punishable under either section 498A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) or 306 (abetment of suicide) of IPC.