Sunanda death: court asks for report on sealed suite

Cops asked how long it would take to de-seal hotel room

New Delhi : A view of The Leela Hotel, where Sunanda Pushkar was found dead, in New Delhi on early Saturday morning. PTI Photo by Shirish Shete(PTI1_18_2014_000087A)

A Delhi court has asked the Delhi Police how much more time they would require to examine and de-seal the hotel suite where Sunanda Pushkar, the former wife of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, died in 2014.

Metropolitan Magistrate Pankaj Sharma asked the probe agency to file a report by coordinating with the forensic team on the time needed to conclude the examination of the suite.

‘Already examined’

The court sought the report on a plea by the hotel management seeking de-sealing of suite no. 345, submitting that due to the sealing of the suite the hotel had suffered a loss of over ₹50 lakh in the past three years.

It further said that the suite was not required to be kept sealed any longer, and no prejudice would be caused to the prosecution if it was de-sealed as it had been examined by several forensic experts and agencies. The police countered saying the suite might be required for further examination by a forensic lab or any foreign team. Some exhibits had been sent for forensic examination and the results were still awaited, the police added. The court later put up the matter on July 14 for further hearing.