Delhi police chief briefs home minister on Sunanda probe

New Delhi, July 2: Home Minister Rajnath Singh was today believed to have been briefed by the Delhi Police Commissioner about the probe into the death of Sunanda Pushkar in the wake of reported claims by a senior forensic doctor that he was pressurised to manipulate her autopsy report.

During the meeting, Commissioner BS Bassi is said to have apprised the Home Minister about the findings so far in the inquiry and the steps being taken by police for its early completion.

Sunanda, wife of former Union minister Shashi Tharoor, was found dead at a 5-star hotel in South Delhi on the night of January 17, a day after a twitter spat with Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar over the latter's alleged affair with Tharoor.

Dr Sudhir Gupta, who heads the forensic science department of AIIMS and led the panel that conducted Sunanda's post- mortem, has reportedly alleged that he was pressurised to show her death was natural, which he resisted.

Inquest proceedings under Section 174 CrPC were initiated in the Sunanda case according to which a sub-divisional magistrate inquires into the death of a woman if she dies within seven years of marriage.

Delhi Police is investigating the case after the SDM asked them to probe the matter. Bassi has said police will "examine" Gupta if needed.

"Whatever will happen in this case in the future I can't tell you right now, but I want you to know that the investigation in the case is going on. Whatever is necessary is being done. If it will be necessary to examine Dr Gupta, he will be (examined)," Bassi has said. AIIMS, however, has rejected the reported allegations levelled by Gupta that he was pressurised to manipulate Sunanda's autopsy report.

PTI