Sunanda wanted to expose Tharoor: TV anchor to SIT

Sunanda Pushkar wanted to expose Congress leader Shashi Tharoor for what he put her through and take him down “before dying” of tuberculosis of the stomach, a journalist has told Delhi Police.

Rahul Kanwal of Headlines Today and Aaj Tak was questioned by the special investigation team at Sarojini Nagar police station in south Delhi on Thursday.

Rahul told police that he knew Sunanda socially. “She was a friend , and my wife and I had on a few occasions devoured the wonderful Kashmiri wazwan she would put together for guests at her 97 Lodhi Estate residence,” Rahul told police in a statement.

Rahul claimed that he reached out to Sunanda on January 16, last year asking her if she was keen on doing an interview to talk about the IPL scam she had been referring to in her tweets. She had spoken with Rahul’s colleagues on the phone late on January 15. 

“I was actually half-hoping that she would say no. The producers in our newsroom were very keen on an interview. Much to my surprise, Sunanda immediately agreed to do it. She was distraught when I spoke to her,” Rahul added.

Sunanda had allegedly told Rahul that she had tuberculosis in her stomach and that she would die soon. In his questioning, Rahul added he was concerned about getting caught in a domestic row. But was forced to go ahead in search of new revelations in the IPL scam.

Rahul and Sunanda had agreed to set up the interview on January 16, 2014. Rahul’s colleagues were on standby for the interview, but Sunanda never called. “I did not push the issue and decided that the interview could wait till Sunanda was ready,” Rahul said.

On January 16, 2014, Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar was a guest on Rahul’s TV show. Rahul had also met Tharoor during All India Congress Committee session at central Delhi’s Talkatora Stadium on Janaury 17, 2014. Rahul told police that Tharoor was clearly upset over Mehr’s interview.

“They seemed to have had another fight over her comments. Shashi told me I should not have done the interview,” he said. Tharoor had found Sunanda’s body when he returned to south Delhi’s Leela Palace Hotel after attending a  session at Talkatora Stadium.

On Friday, police commissioner said the SIT would question anyone willing to provide information or clue. It also questioned journalist Nalini Singh for 90 minutes. He said any matter that is pertinent to the probe will be checked.