Sunanda case: More to be quizzed in next 2 days, says police

Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi on Thursday said that a number of people have been questioned in connection with the Sunanda Pushkar case and more would be quizzed in the next couple of days as they seek to complete the probe as soon as possible.

"The SIT investigation in the case is on in full swing and I would like to tell you that all those people who are relevant to us in this case, many of them have been questioned. The remaining will be called in the next couple of days," he told reporters in New Delhi.

Asked whether Pushkar's husband, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, too, will be questioned in the next two to three days, Bassi said that he would not like to name anybody in particular. "All those relevant in the case will be called in the next couple of days," he said.

The police chief, however, did not give a number as to how many people have been questioned so far and also refused to reveal any other detail regarding the probe.

"I cannot give you the precise information at this moment because there are certain methodologies which take time. It is possible that we call a person more than once because, at times, we confront people with evidence (which is) available to us so that if there is some clarification, it may be sought," he said.

51-year-old Sunanda was found dead in her suite at a five-star hotel in south Delhi on the night of January 17, 2014, a day after she was involved in a spat with Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar on micro-blogging website twitter.com over the latter's alleged affair with Tharoor.

Her viscera samples have to be sent to a foreign lab in the US or the UK to determine the nature and quantity of the poison which caused her death, according to the police.

"We are working to send the exhibits abroad as soon as possible... In the next two days, a definitive decision over where the viscera will be sent will be taken," he said.

Bassi also stressed that the police would like to complete the questioning of all the people in the case as soon as possible.

Asked whether the police have come across any contradictions in statements which have been recorded so far, he said that as far as contradictions are concerned, "we would examine it when our investigation is complete. These things are seen when we draw conclusions".

Asked about Bharatiya  Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy's tweet that there was confusion about the room in which Sunanda was found dead at the five-star hotel, whether it was room No.307 or No. 345, Bassi initially tried to duck the question but said after further prodding that, "I would not be able to share exact details with you."

Asked as to when the investigation would be completed, he said, "We would like to complete it soon. We would like to wrap it up in the time given under law."