As the probe in the alleged murder of Sunanda Pushkar proceeded on Wednesday, investigators said they were now looking into whether the poison was deliberately administered or some chemical reaction inside the body caused the poisoning.
A Delhi Police source said because the nature and the quantum of poison will be ascertained only after reports from the viscera sample slated to be sent abroad are received, another line of investigation was Ms. Pushkar’s medical history and its bearing on her demise.
“When the nature of the poison is detected, we can look into from where it could have been procured. Considering that some mentioned in the medical reports are not readily available, these are expected to provide us some clues,” said a source.
He further added that till the time the reports are arrived, the Special Investigation Team constituted to conduct the probe would look into the medical records of the former Union Minister's wife.
“We are not ruling out the possibility of something injected into her body causing a poisonous chemical reaction proving to be fatal. In that case the murder charge could be converted into causing death by negligence,” said the source. Delhi Police Commissioner Bhim Sain Bassi said on Wednesday that an SIT has been set up to probe the death of Ms. Pushkar, the wife of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor's.
“It will be monitored by Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Prem Nath and Additional DCP (South) P S Kushwah, and includes an assistant commissioner of police, two inspectors one of whom is the Station House Officer of Sarojini Nagar police station,” he said.
Sources also said so far nothing has come up to link Mr. Tharoor to the murder. The Congress MP is currently in Palakkad district to visit the Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple.
On his questioning and the likelihood of Delhi Police sending a team to Kerala, Mr. Bassi said: “As far as questioning of Shashi Tharoor is concerned, it was done and it will be done again if the need arises.”
Though Tharoor’s statement was also recorded before a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) last year, the SIT will be looking to question him with the latest medical and forensic reports used to register the murder case against unidentified persons with Sarojini Nagar police station.
