Sunanda Pushkar murder: Shashi Tharoor didn’t take Sunanda to hospital, says a family friend

NEW DELHI: A family friend's statement in the Sunanda Pushkar case confirms that her husband, then Union minister Shashi Tharoor, did not take her to hospital on finding her unresponsive but called in doctors instead. Sanjay Dewan, honorary consul-general of Cape Verde, will now be questioned by the special investigation team.

Dewan's statement of January 23, 2013 reads: "I know Shashi Tharoor since 2006. Sunanda and Tharoor had very cordial relations ... Last week, she had sent a message stating that she was not well and was admitted in a hospital for a check-up in Kerala (sic)".

About January 17, the day Sunanda died, Dewan says he had to visit Mumbai but learned from Tharoor that she was in a hotel. He cancelled his trip to be with them, but couldn't contact her as she was asleep.

"Around 5pm, Narain (Tharoor's domestic help) called and said Sunandaji will be up anytime and I can come to the hotel. He said, since she has not eaten anything, (I should) try to convince her to take some solid food." Dewan said Tharoor came around 8 pm and asked him to follow up with a doctor to come urgently as he (Tharoor) had to appear on TV at 9pm.

"Around 8.30pm, he said he will wake up Sunanda ... Tharoor entered the bedroom and started screaming that something has happened. We went inside the room and Tharoor immediately called the hotel management for doctor (sic). In the meantime, Dr Rajat Mohan (from Ganga Ram Hospital) came and was followed by a doctor from the hotel. Dr Rajat Mohan conducted an ECG and confirmed Sunanda was no more. Tharoor then informed his secretary, Abhinav, and police came."

Sanjay Dewan, who was called to see Sunanda in the evening, was told that she had not eaten anything and he should convince her to eat.