Sunanda Pushkar case: Shashi Tharoor, senior doctor will be examined if needed

NEW DELHI: With a senior AIIMS forensic doctor reportedly alleging that he was pressurised to manipulate the autopsy report of Sunanda Pushkar, Delhi Police today said if required it will examine him and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor.

"Whatever will happen in this case in the future I can't tell you right now but I want you to know that 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," said Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi.

In a new twist surrounding Sunanda's mysterious death, reports had emerged yesterday that Gupta, who headed a three- member team that did the post mortem, had filed an affidavit before Central Administrative Tribunal in a service matter in which he had said that pressure was brought on him to manipulate the post mortem report.

Bassi said, "If it is necessary to take on record the affidavit which apparently has been filed by him before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) that too will be taken into account. We will be conducting the enquiries keeping in view the legal position and relevance of the evidence."

When specifically asked whether Tharoor will be questioned, Bassi said, "If it is necessary, it will be done." The Delhi Police Commissioner also said that a Special Investigation Team, headed by Delhi Police inspector Atul Sood, is already investigating the case.

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.

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

In a report to the police, the SDM, who had recorded the statements of Sunanda's brother, son, Tharoor and his staff, had said that no family member suspected any foul play in the death. However, he had asked the Delhi Police to investigate the case further.