Fresh report on Sunanda's death inconclusive: Delhi police, BJP, Cong spar

The fresh report submitted to the police by All India Institute of Medical Sciences doctors on the reasons for the mysterious death of Sunanda Pushkar is ‘inconclusive’, according to the Delhi police, even as the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress were locked in a slanging match on the issue.

Former Union Minister Sashi Tharoor, a Congress member of Parliament, who was in Chennai today, declined to comment on the fresh report when pressed by newsmen for his comments after the controversy over his wife's death in January this year took a new turn.

Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi dismissed suggestions that police had been lax in collecting evidence and that the probe should be handed over to CBI, asserting that the force was "competent" to handle the case. The Delhi Police was also mulling going in for advance forensic tests.

"The forensic report is inconclusive. The status of our inquest is pending," Bassi said. "The first thing I would like to tell you is that we still do not have a conclusive forensic report on the basis of which we can reach any conclusion. As far as police is concerned our inquest is pending.

"Whenever we will reach on any conclusion, when we get complete forensic evidence, conclusive evidence, then we will draw conclusion and then we will be able to share any information with you," the Delhi police chief told reporters.

The police may now seek another expert opinion from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory or go in for

advance forensic tests to clear the air, according to sources. The 12-page "Subsequent Medical Board Opinion", submitted to police on September 30 by a panel of AIIMS doctors, said that the medical board had again concluded like it did in its first report that her brain, kidney, lungs and liver were functioning normally and that her death was caused by poisoning.

Asked whether the Delhi Police will now register a first information report in this connection, he said, "Inquest is pending, once inquest is complete and we reach any definite conclusion. Whatever is required will be done and whatever is required to be shared with the press will be shared."      

On suggestions whether the case should be transferred to CBI, Bassi said the Delhi Police is "competent" to carry out the probe. The Congress advocated caution on the Sunanda death case and accused BJP of doing "politics" over the issue, which it said was "entirely a legal process".

"The Congress' stand is clear. When a legal process is taking place, you do not comment on every document, every comma and full stop. Every week a new document may come up. When that legal process reaches a conclusion or even a semi conclusion, then we will see," party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said.

Earlier, Union Minister and BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu favoured a fresh probe, saying it "requires an inquiry".

"If there is a new report then there should be an inquiry into it," he said. The Communist Party of India-Marxist unit in Kerala also demanded a comprehensive probe into Sunanda's death.

Sunanda was found dead in a 5-star hotel in South Delhi on the night of January 17, a day after her Twitter spat with Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar over an alleged affair with Tharoor.