English हिन्दी
Connect with us

India News

Sunanda Pushkar death: Delhi HC gives Delhi Police 2 weeks to file status report

Published

8 years ago

on

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The court tells Delhi police that it will not monitor probe in the high-profile case but “we want to know the cause of (Sunanda’s) death and where we have reached since January 2014 (when the investigation began)

BJP MP Subramanian Swamy has filed a PIL with the Delhi High Court seeking a time-bound court-monitored multi-disciplinary probe into the death of Sunanda Pushkar, wife of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor. The bench of Justices GS Sistani and Chander Shekhar are hearing this case.

On the last date of hearing (August 1), the Delhi Police had filed copies of the status report which the counsel for Sunanda Pushkar’s son Shiv Menon, wanted to examine. The court has not taken lightly to the fact that the final report has not been filed even three and-a-half years after the death.

“We would like to know where you have reached,” the court asked the Delhi police, adding: “You have made things peculiar. We hear cases that are older… For us, this case is as good or bad as any other matter. We want to know what happened for three years.”

The court gave Delhi Police two weeks to come up with the status report, failing which, the court warned, “we will look into it”.

At the last hearing Sunanda’s son Shiv Menon had said that he was highly concerned about the steps taken. The court had said that he and the petitioner should exchange the copies of their applications. It may be recalled that Menon had objected to Swamy’s intervention and had questioned his locus standi in this case.

On Wednesday Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain was present from the Union of India. He said: “I want to make a submission, that so far as that petition is concern, this is not an adversarial petition. Petitioner has brought in a certain aspect. Ultimately, it has to be analysed by this court. And we have brought the investigation documents which can be shown to the bench in the chamber, all senior officers are present from Delhi Police”.

“In this matter samples have gone to scientific labs in the US three times. I don’t want to open my report in the court room. The DCP is here, please have the report in your chambers,” Jain said to the bench.

The ASG also said: “On our part there has not been any delay, and after seeing the report you may find this. If you still feel not satisfied you can take action.”

The bench said: “As you were not here Mr Sanjay Jain, we want to share with you the synopsis of previous hearings. We want to know why the status report has not been filed in the death of Sunanda Pushkar since January 2014. We have told the son (Menon) that we are not opposing the petition, but we want to know the cause of the death and what has been done so far. Where we have reached since Jan 2014, we want to know.”

Respondent Jain said: “Ultimately, the analysis of the report will say where we have reached and for that it is essential to see the report.”

The bench said: “We are not monitoring your investigation and we are not questioning your investigation. We just want to know where we have reached up till now.”

The bench then asked Swamy if he had anything to say.

Subramanian Swamy

Swamy said: “I am not seeking the exclusion of the Delhi Police from the SIT investigation. I want them to be part of the CBI enquiry or the SIT investigating team. I want their cooperation in the matter. The police journal says that the name of the poison is not important but also says that when it comes to drawing a conclusion it is poison you have to investigate. Four times they have said that this is an unnatural death and the cause of death is poison. They have gone to the FBI and all the things, in all what they have done so far is delay the proceedings.

“The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) clearly said that this is a case of poisoning and it is an unnatural death. I wrote last year to the government saying that this should be referred to a SIT. The government said ‘we are into the investigation and this would delay the proceedings’. Today also they are saying the same thing,” said Swamy. “They have gone around the world to know the name of the poison and now they say the name of the poison is irrelevant.”

The bench asked the government counsel: “We want to know how close we are in the investigation.”

Counsel Jain said: “Certain agencies are examining the matter and the cause of death. Some said it is poison and some said it is not. Thereafter it was sent to the US forensic lab. We have to analyse the answers which have come. This will take some time.”

The bench asked for a clarification: “By you, is it unnatural death?”

Counsel Jain’s reply was not clear. He said: “The individual is totally immaterial in this case.”

That was when the bench said: “We are saying something, listen to us. We posted it after two weeks and in the meantime please read the report and if something different comes out please tell us. Otherwise, we will look into it.”

Then the bench told Swamy: “We don’t know whether they are going to file the closure report or a charge sheet. If they file a charge sheet your problem is solved.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

India News

India and Russia vow to walk together against terrorism, reaffirm strategic partnership

PM Modi and President Putin reaffirm India-Russia unity against terrorism, deepen energy and trade cooperation, and discuss peace efforts amid the Ukraine conflict.

Published

4 hours ago

on

December 5, 2025

By

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday underlined that India and Russia “walk together in the fight against terrorism,” reinforcing a decades-old strategic partnership that remains steady amid global geopolitical churn. The leaders issued the joint statement following talks at Hyderabad House in Delhi, where they also announced steps to boost trade, economic cooperation, and energy collaboration.

India-Russia stand firm on counter-terror cooperation

PM Modi described President Putin as a “dear friend” and highlighted Moscow’s consistent support to India on counter-terror efforts. Russia had earlier strongly condemned the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, allegedly linked to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, and reiterated solidarity with India’s fight against terrorism in all forms.

The joint remarks emphasized that the bilateral friendship, rooted in trust and mutual respect, has remained resilient for decades despite global challenges.

Focus on energy, trade and use of national currencies

A key highlight of the engagement was Russia reaffirming “uninterrupted shipments” of fuel to India. PM Modi expressed gratitude for Russia’s commitment, noting energy cooperation as a crucial pillar of the relationship. While he did not specifically mention oil purchases, given ongoing Western pressure, he emphasised cooperation in civil nuclear and clean energy.

The two countries also discussed expanding economic ties, including a possible free trade agreement. President Putin said bilateral trade was being targeted to reach USD 100 billion, and acknowledged progress toward using national currencies for payments — a remark expected to draw global attention.

Putin shares peace plan insights on Ukraine conflict

Putin briefed the Prime Minister on Russia’s perspective for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing Ukraine war and appreciated India’s continued role as a “champion of peace.” PM Modi reiterated India’s consistent position on dialogue and diplomacy.

Agreements across jobs, health, shipping and minerals

Officials exchanged multiple agreements covering employment mobility, health, shipping, chemicals and cooperation in critical minerals — further broadening the strategic footprint of the partnership.

Continue Reading

India News

RBI cuts repo rate to 5.25%, paving the way for cheaper loans

The RBI has cut the repo rate to 5.25%, aiming to support growth as inflation softens. The central bank also raised GDP projections and announced liquidity-boosting measures.

Published

9 hours ago

on

December 5, 2025

By

Reserve Bank of India

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reduced the key repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.25% on Thursday, signalling relief for borrowers as banks are expected to offer lower EMIs on home and vehicle loans. Governor Sanjay Malhotra announced the move after the conclusion of the three-day Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting.

RBI prioritises growth as inflation eases

Malhotra said the decision was unanimous, with the central bank choosing to focus on supporting economic momentum despite concerns over a weak rupee. The repo rate was earlier cut in June from 6% to 5.5% amid easing inflation trends.

The RBI now projects Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation at 2% for FY2025-26, significantly softer than earlier estimates. For the first quarter of FY2026-27, inflation is expected at 3.9%, lower than the previous projection. The governor noted that rising precious metal prices may contribute to the headline CPI, but overall risks to inflation remain balanced.

GDP outlook strengthened

In a strong upward revision, the central bank increased the GDP forecast for the current financial year to 7.3%, previously estimated at 6.8%. Growth for the October–December quarter has also been revised to 6.7%.

The last quarter registered a six-quarter high expansion of 8.2%, reflecting resilient demand and steady credit flow.

“The growth-inflation balance continues to offer policy space,” Malhotra said, reiterating that the RBI’s stance remains neutral.

Other key decisions

Alongside the repo rate cut, the RBI announced adjustments to key policy corridors:

  • Standing Deposit Facility (SDF): 5%
  • Marginal Standing Facility (MSF): 5.5%

To improve liquidity and strengthen monetary transmission, the RBI will conduct forex swaps and purchase ₹1 lakh crore worth of government bonds through Open Market Operations (OMO).

RBI reviews a challenging year

Reflecting on 2025, Malhotra said the year delivered strong growth and moderate inflation even as global trade and geopolitical uncertainties persisted. He added that bank credit and retail lending remained healthy, providing support to the economy.

Continue Reading

India News

IndiGo flight chaos deepens as over 500 services cancelled, passengers stranded for hours

Over 500 IndiGo flights were cancelled nationwide, leaving passengers stranded without food, clarity or their luggage as airports struggled to manage the disruption.

Published

9 hours ago

on

December 5, 2025

By

IndiGo flight

India’s largest airline continued to face massive operational breakdowns, triggering frustration among travellers at major airports across the country. From piles of unattended suitcases to passengers waiting over 12 hours without food or clarity, the disruption stretched into its fourth consecutive day.

Long delays, no communication leave passengers anguished

Several travellers at Delhi airport described the situation as “mental torture”, as thousands of unclaimed suitcases lay scattered across the terminal. Many slept on the floor, while others expressed anger over the lack of communication from airline staff.

One flier said he had been waiting for over 12 hours without any explanation: “Every time they say one-hour or two-hour delays. We were going to a wedding but don’t even have our luggage.”

A passenger in Hyderabad recounted a similar ordeal, saying the flight was delayed indefinitely with no food, water, or updates from the airline. At the airport, some travellers blocked an Air India flight in protest over the lack of arrangements.

Goa and Chennai airports also witnessed tense moments. Videos from Goa showed fliers shouting at IndiGo staff as police attempted to calm the situation. At Chennai, CISF denied entry to IndiGo passengers due to heavy congestion.

Major metro airports impacted; cascading cancellations nationwide

Flight cancellations and delays were reported across multiple airports:

  • Over 200 flights were cancelled in Delhi
  • More than 100 each in Mumbai and Bengaluru
  • Around 90 in Hyderabad
  • Dozens more in Pune, Vishakhapatnam, Chennai and Bhopal

Pune airport stated that parking bay congestion worsened the situation, as several IndiGo aircraft remained grounded due to lack of crew. Other airlines continued operations without disruption.

Airport authorities said they had mobilised additional manpower for crowd control and passenger support.

IndiGo admits planning lapses, says more cancellations expected

The airline acknowledged a “misjudgment” in assessing crew requirements under revised night-duty norms, which it said created planning gaps. Winter weather and airport congestion further aggravated the crisis.

IndiGo informed the aviation ministry and DGCA that some regulatory changes—such as the shift in night-duty timings and a cap on night landings—have been rolled back temporarily to stabilise operations.

The airline warned that cancellations may continue for another two to three days, and from December 8, schedules will be trimmed to prevent further disruption.

In a message to employees, CEO Pieter Elbers said restoring punctuality would not be an “easy target”.

Airline issues apology amid nationwide frustration

In a late-night statement, IndiGo apologised to customers and industry partners, acknowledging the widespread inconvenience caused by the disruptions. The airline said all teams were working with authorities to bring operations back to normal.

Continue Reading

Trending

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com