Taking cognizance of a 3,000-page chargesheet filed by the Delhi Police in the Sunanda Pushkar death case, a Delhi court summoned Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor on July 7. The court had fixed today as the date for announcing its order on whether to summon Tharoor as an accused in the case. The Delhi Police, who had told the court there was sufficient evidence against the Congress leader, has charged him with abetment to suicide.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal took cognisance of the offences of alleged abetment of suicide and committing cruelty by Tharoor towards Pushkar. “I have heard the prosecutor. I have gone through and perused the charge sheet and the documents filed along with it. On the basis of police report (charge sheet), I take cognisance of offence of abetment of suicide of late Sunanda Pushkar and committing cruelty upon her by Dr Shashi Tharoor,” the judge said.

The court added: “There exists sufficient grounds to proceed against Tharoor for commission of offences of Section 306 and 498 A of IPC. Issue summons to him for appearance for July 7,” the court added.

PTI quoted prosecution sources as saying that the chargesheet mentions that Pushkar was allegedly subjected to mental as well as physical cruelty.

Meanwhile, Tharoor’s counsel, Vikas Pahwa told ANI that he will be taking all legal remedies available as per law. “Since the Magistrate summoned Dr Shashi Tharoor for 7th July, we shall be asking for a copy of the chargesheet, after going through it, we’ll decide our further course of action. He will take all legal remedies available to him in law.”

“Since no offences are made out and the prosecution case is absurd & preposterous and is contrary to various judgments of SC, we shall take appropriate steps to deal with the chargesheet,” he added.

On January 8, Sunanda Pushkar had written: “I don’t care about the tests. I have no will to live. All I pray is death.”