JOIN USThe Delhi Police are likely to move an application in Patiala House Court seeking a polygraph test on Congress leader Shashi Tharoor in the murder case of his wife Sunanda Pushkar. The court’s permission is needed to conduct the test.
Tharoor’s office told mediapersons he would cooperate with the police, but has not received any official request.
Sources said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted to probe the case is holding meetings to take a decision on when to approach the court. The test will be conducted at the office of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in south Delhi’s Lodhi Colony.
“We hope the polygraph tests and Sunanda’s viscera report will give a new direction to the probe in this high-profile case,” said a police officer.
Tharoor’s questioning will pertain to the Indian Premier League controversy, Tharoor and Sunanda’s trips to Dubai, and their reportedly strained relationship.
The SIT has already conducted polygraph tests of six people closely associated with Tharoor, after a court allowed the tests with the consent of those named by the police in May. Those tested were Tharoor's domestic help. The tests were conducted in the presence of their lawyers.
Sources added that over 100 questions were asked during the tests. “The answers are being analysed by experts. The test reports will throw some new light on the probe, but will not be accepted as evidence in court,” said the officer.
The police expect to receive the report of Sunanda’s viscera samples in July. The samples were sent to a forensic laboratory of the US' Federal Bureau of Investigation in February.
The police say the report is likely to identify the “poison” that caused Sunanda’s death, as concluded by AIIMS.