Shashi Tharoor’s wife Sunanda Pushkar found dead in Delhi hotel

Sunanda Pushkar

New Delhi, January 17

Sunanda Pushkar, Union Minister Shashi Tharoor's wife, who was upset over an alleged extramarital affair between her husband and a Pakistani journalist, was found dead in a five-star hotel room on Friday.

Pushkar (52) was last seen at 3.30 pm at Hotel Leela Palace in Chanakyapuri. Police sources said she was found dead in her suite No. 345 around 8.30 pm.

Tharoor's personal secretary Abhinav Kumar told the media that the body was first spotted by the minister. Tharoor, who was away for the AICC session, returned around 8:30 pm and found the door of her room locked from inside. The door was later opened and her body was found on the bed, sources said.

Tharoor called up Kumar who informed the police which reached the hotel at 9.15 pm. "She was in her night clothes and had a blanket on her. There were no injury marks on the body," Kumar said. The hotel doctors were present in the room, he said. Kumar said there was no sign of foul play, but whether it was a natural death or not couldn't be said now. "We don't know the cause of death," he said.

Police sources said they suspected it to be a case of suicide. Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said inquest proceedings were on by the area sub-divisional magistrate. Any death within seven years of marriage is legally required to be investigated by the SDM.

The police questioned the hotel staff and checked the CCTV footage of the lobby of the third floor where Pushkar was staying. Police sources said Pushkar’s call detailwere also being checked. A team of forensic experts reached the hotel around 10:30 pm. The police also searched the suite thoroughly to see whether Pushkar had used any medicine. Kumar told mediapersons at the hotel that Tharoor and Pushkar were staying in the suite since Thursday as “some painting work” was on at their home.

The minister was away throughout the day in the AICC, he said. Kumar said Pushkar was unwell yesterday. Pushkar and Tharoor were at the centre of a controversy over the past two days when reports emerged that she was upset over reported text and tweets between her husband and Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar.

The couple reportedly fought over the alleged affair which came to light when Tharoor claimed his twitter handle was hacked. He made the declaration after purported controversial tweets were posted from his accounts and were believed to be addressed to the Pakistan-based journalist.

Pushkar had told some newspapers that she was considering divorce from Tharoor. Mehr denied Pushkar's allegations. Meanwhile, PM Manmohan Singh on Friday night spoke to Union Minister Shashi Tharoor and mourned his wife’s death.