Indian police contact Pakistani mission in Delhi for help in questioning Mehr Tarar

Authorities want the High Commission to facilitate a "meeting" with the Pakistani journalist

NEW DELHI: Indian authorities probing the murder of politician Shashi Tharoor's wife, have approached the Pakistani mission in New Delhi, seeking a "meeting" with Lahore-based journalist Mehar Tarar. 

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Delhi police, has written a letter to the Pakistan High Commission, asking them for help in questioning the Pakistani journalist.

Police commissioner BS Bassi had said last week: “If required, we will speak to her (Tarar) as she can throw light in the case.”

Tharoor's wife, Sunanda Pushkar was found dead in her five-star hotel room in the Indian capital in January 2014 soon after she had publicly accused her husband of having an affair with Tarar.

Nearly a year after her death, Delhi police had opened a murder investigation in January 2015. An initial autopsy had concluded that Pushkar probably died of an overdose of anti-depressant drugs. But Indian police said in January that she was poisoned and a case was registered.

Although Mehr Tarar had earlier said that she is willing to coordinate with police, she tweeted on March 12, 2015 saying, “No comments. And that is my only comment.”

Police investigating the case say the chances of questioning Tarar seem slim, because she is not legally bound to answer their questions. Furthermore, they can only question her if she allows it.

The police will only be able to question Tarar at a time, place and date of her choosing, who may alternatively opt to respond to a police questionnaire via email.

The report states that while Deputy Commissioner Police (DCP) Prem Nath will likely retrieve the viscera report from the FBI in United States, DCP (II) PS Kushwa, accompanied by female law enforcers, may travel to Islamabad to speak to Tarar, if they are permitted to do so.

Journalist Nalini Singh has told the police and magistrate involved in the case that Sunanda Pushkar had asked for her help getting a hold of Blackberry Messenger (BBM) communication between Shashi Tharoor and Mehr Tarar - whom he was allegedly having an affair with.

She also claimed that Tharoor had intended to marry Tarar after the Lok Sabha election.

This article originally appeared on Times of India