Close X
Friday, November 29, 2024
ADVT 
India

Sunanda Murder: Tharoor questioned by police over IPL angle

Darpan News Desk IANS, 12 Feb, 2015 03:05 PM
    Delhi Police Thursday questioned Congress MP Shashi Tharoor over the ownership of Kochi Tuskers, a defunct IPL franchisee, to find out if his murdered wife Sunanda Pushkar received equity on his behalf from the franchisee.
     
    Tharoor was twice called for questioning during the day.
     
    Tharoor along with five people including his domestic help Narayan Singh and driver Bajrangi were called by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for questioning at its Anti Auto Theft Squad (AATS) office in south Delhi's Vasant Vihar.
     
    His questioning began at 11.30 a.m. and lasted for about four-and-a-half hours.
     
    Tharoor was later called for questioning again and reached the police office at Vasant Vihar after 9 p.m.
     
    Police sources said he was accompanied by his lawyers.
     
    Police had constituted the SIT after registering a murder case against unknown people Jan 1 this year. Pushkar was found dead in a luxury hotel room Jan 17, 2014 under mysterious circumstances.
     
    Tharoor Thursday first went to the Sarojini Nagar police station in south Delhi and was taken to the Vasant Vihar police station.
     
    The SIT led by Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police P.S. Kushwaha asked Tharoor a number of questions concerning the Kochi franchise of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
     
    Tharoor, who is the Lok Sabha member from Thiruvananthapuram, was asked questions over the ownership pattern of Kochi Tuskers to find out if Sunanda Pushkar was the front for him when she received Rs.75 crore equity of the Kochi team.
     
    Deputy Commissioner of Police Mangesh Kashyap from the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) was also part of the probe team.
     
    The IPL controversy broke out in 2010 when Tharoor was minister of state for external affairs in the then United Progressive Alliance government. He had to resign from the government over the controversy.
     
    Narayan Singh and Bajrangi were also questioned along with three other people, whose names were not disclosed by police.
     
    Since the SIT began probing the murder case at the start of this year, Narayan Singh has been questioned twice and Bajrangi once.
     
    Delhi Police Commissioner B.S. Bassi said Tharoor was questioned based on information concerning the case.
     
    "After examining his answers during the last interrogation, we questioned him again. Some associates of Tharoor are also being questioned," Bassi told reporters in the afternoon.
     
    Police sources said Pushkar's viscera report has been sent to a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) lab in the United States.
     
    The SIT probing the case has so far questioned at least 15 people, including Tharoor, his staff members, close friends of the couple and the staff of Leela Palace hotel where Pushkar was found dead.
     
    Pushkar's son Shiv Menon was quizzed by the SIT Feb 5 for around eight hours. Police sources said Menon was asked about the state of relations between Tharoor and Pushkar.
     
    Former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh was also questioned by SIT Jan 28 in the case.
     
    Two journalists - Nalini Singh and Rahul Kanwal - have already deposed before the SIT.

    MORE India ARTICLES

    Kiran Bedi Is BJP's Trump Card But Some Leaders Are Sulking

    Kiran Bedi Is BJP's Trump Card But Some Leaders Are Sulking
    The BJP's projection of India's first woman police officer Kiran Bedi as its face in Delhi has divided the party, with one section overjoyed and the other left sulking.

    Kiran Bedi Is BJP's Trump Card But Some Leaders Are Sulking

    Kiran Bedi BJP's Delhi CM Candidate

    Kiran Bedi BJP's Delhi CM Candidate
    Former IPS officer Kiran Bedi will be the BJP's chief ministerial candidate in Delhi, party president Amit Shah announced Monday.

    Kiran Bedi BJP's Delhi CM Candidate

    Punjab motorists taken for a ride over number plates

    Punjab motorists taken for a ride over number plates
    This is one ride that motorists in Punjab are going to hate. Over 1.3 million motorists in the state have been given faulty registration number plates for their vehicles...

    Punjab motorists taken for a ride over number plates

    Obama visit set to galvanise India-US ties

    Obama visit set to galvanise India-US ties
    Beyond the symbolism of President Barack Obama being the first US president to be the chief guest at India's Republic Day, his second visit to India in four years...

    Obama visit set to galvanise India-US ties

    Take money from BJP, Congress, vote for AAP: Kejriwal

    Take money from BJP, Congress, vote for AAP: Kejriwal
    Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal Sunday appealed to the people to accept money doled out by both the Congress and the BJP but cast their votes...

    Take money from BJP, Congress, vote for AAP: Kejriwal

    Are Malia and Sasha coming, would Michelle Obama be wearing a sari?

    Are Malia and Sasha coming, would Michelle Obama be wearing a sari?
    As US President Barack Obama prepares to land in India, mum's the word with official lips tightly sealed. Very little or no information is being...

    Are Malia and Sasha coming, would Michelle Obama be wearing a sari?