New Delhi, Jan 28: Delhi Police Wednesday questioned former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh as part of its probe into the murder of Sunanda Pushkar, wife of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.
Amar Singh was questioned at south Delhi’s Vasant Vihar police station for about two hours.
Amar Singh told media that he was questioned by the Special Investigating Team (SIT) of Delhi Police for about two hours following his earlier statement.
“When the SIT team of Delhi Police came to know that Sunanda had talked to me a few days before her death, they asked me to know the sequence of my talk with her,” he said.
After the Sunanda’s death, Amar Singh had told media that she was a brave woman and could not commit suicide.
“If someone has murdered Sunanda, he should be caught,” he said.
“I am not against (Sundanda’s husband and Congress MP) Shashi Tharoor. Tharoor and Sunanda both were affectionate to me. I just want the truth to come out,” he said.
“Sunanda was my best friend. I have told the police what the truth I knew about her,” Amar Singh said, adding he did not want to disclose his police questioning in public.
Sources said the SIT questioned Amar Singh over several points related to Sunanda and asked him about the IPL (Indian Premiere League) angle as well.
Amar Singh had recently told the media that Sunanda was depressed over the IPL fiasco, the led to the removal of the Kerala franchise in which she had considerable sweat equity. He further added that Sunanda broke down and she wanted to reveal information about the IPL controversy to him.
Two journalists – Nalini Singh and Rahul Kanwal – have already deposed before SIT and accepted that Sunanda did call them as well before her death and spoke to them regarding exposing Shashi Tharoor and the IPL fiasco.
Police had quizzed Rahul Kanwal and Nalini Singh Jan 22 and 23 respectively.
The police are investigating the IPL angle and the ownership pattern of Kochi Tuskers and want to found out if Sunanda was the front for Shashi Tharoor when she received Rs. 75 crore equity from a franchisee involved in the Kochi team.
The IPL controversy had broken out in early 2010 when Congress Tharoor was minister of state for external affairs.
The investigators asked Singh whether the IPL controversy had anything to do with Sunanda’s death.
Delhi Police Commissioner B.S. Bassi said: “Amar Singh had claimed that he had some inputs related to the case. He had also revealed some point in the media. He was called for questioning today (Wednesday)…”
Apart from Singh, Delhi police will call Shashi Tharoor again for questioning.
“The SIT of Delhi Police will interrogate Shashi Tharoor again if needed,” Bassi said.
Tharoor was questioned for around three-and-a-half hours Jan 19. Police officials had then refused to share Tharoor’s replies during the questioning, saying any revelation would hamper the investigation.
The SIT has already questioned various domestic helps of Sunanda, her close friends and other people during the investigation. Sunanda’s son Shiv Menon may also be called for questioning in the case.
Bassi said that they are planning to question some more people including Shiv Menon.
Pushkar was found dead in a luxury hotel room here Jan 17, 2014. A murder case was registered by police against unknown people Jan 1 this year. (IANS)
