Sunanda Pushkar death: 'Why is Subramanian Swamy interested?' ask Shashi Tharoor's lawyers

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Saturday appeared before the Patiala House Court in Delhi in connection with his wife Sunanda Pushkar's death case. While granting bail to the Congress leader, the judge said that there is no requirement to file a formal bail as an anticipatory bail had already been granted by the sessions court. 

During the hearing, the public prosecutor and Shashi Tharoor's counsel opposed the applications moved by advocate Subramanian Swamy seeking the court's nod to allow him to assist in the prosecution in the case. Tharoor's counsels questioned Swamy's locus standi in the case. 

Defending his stand, Swamy said that he wants to ensure that the trial is fair and that the Delhi Police does not botch up the case. "Today, the Delhi Police and counsel for accused said my position is not maintainable. I argued it under section 302 CrPc, I am entitled. The question of maintainability is irrelevant. I am here to see that trial is fair and Delhi Police does not botch it," Swamy said.

The court has set 26 July as the date for the scrutiny of documents and consideration of the application.

Tharoor was summoned in court after a 3000-page chargesheet was filed against him by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing his wife's death case. 

Earlier on  Thursday, a sessions court granted anticipatory bail to Tharoor on a surety of Rs one lakh. "He (Tharoor) has been granted bail on two conditions i.e he cannot travel abroad without prior permission of the court and that he could not tamper with the evidence and witnesses. He also has to file Rs 1 lakh in the court which it demands," advocate Vikas Pahwa said.

On May 14, the Delhi Police had filed a charge sheet in the court, in which it named Tharoor as an accused, under sections 306 (Abetment of suicide) and 498A (Husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Tharoor, however, dismissed the chargesheet filed as "preposterous". "I will continue to vigorously contest these charges and maintain my steadfast conviction that ultimately truth will prevail through the judicial system that we have privileged to have in our country," he had said.

Sunanda was found dead under mysterious circumstances in a suite of a five-star hotel in Delhi on the night of January 17, 2014.