Faith in judiciary vindicated: Tharoor on discharge in Sunanda suicide case

After a Delhi court discharged Shashi Tharoor in a case related to his wife Sunanda Pushkar's death, the senior Congress leader on Wednesday said his faith in the Indian judiciary stands vindicated and the ruling brings a "significant conclusion to the long nightmare" which had enveloped him.

Special Judge Geetanjali Goel passed the order in a virtual hearing in the case related to Pushkar's death in a luxury hotel in New Delhi.

Taking to Twitter, Tharoor posted his statement and said, "This brings a significant conclusion to the long nightmare which had enveloped me after the tragic passing of my late wife Sunanda."

"I have weathered dozens of unfounded accusations and media vilification patiently, sustained by my faith in the Indian judiciary, which today stands vindicated," the former Union minister said.

During the arguments, while police had 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 SIT completely exonerated the politician of all the charges levelled against him.

Pushkar was found dead in a suite of a luxury hotel in the city on the night of January 17, 2014. The couple was staying in the hotel as the official bungalow of Tharoor was being renovated at that time.

Tharoor was charged under sections 498A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) and 306 of the Indian Penal Code by the Delhi Police, but was not arrested in the case.

He was granted bail on July 5, 2018.