New Delhi, Jan 13 (Agencies) : The ongoing verbal slugfest over the Sunanda Pushkar murder case took another turn on Tuesday with Shashi Tharoor demanding that BJP leader Subramanian Swamy should reveal the identity of the 'killer' to the police.
Responding to queries from reporters at the Delhi airport, Tharoor said, “If he (Swamy) knows the murderer then let him tell the police.”
Reacting to Tharoor's charge, Swamy, while speaking to a news channel said, “I never said that I known who the murderer is, I said that Shashi Tharoor knows who the murderer is."
Alleging that Tharoor was part of the conspiracy to kill Sunanda, Swamy said that if he had known the killer he would have told the police long ago.
Swamy added that Tharoor must be subjected to custodial interrogation now that an FIR has been registered for murder. “He should be questioned and if he was to lie to the police then he should be arrested,” he said.
The noted lawyer also accused Tharoor of trying to cover up Sunanda's murder as a natural death.
Swamy was among the first to allege foul play in the death of Sunanda Pushkar. He claimed that Sunanda was silenced as she had wanted to tell the truth about murky dealings in the IPL.
Delhi Police chief BS Bassi had, yesterday, stated that Tharoor might be questioned soon in connection with his wife's murder, while adding that the SIT probing the case has been asked to fast-track the case so that a chargesheet could be filed soon.
"I know Tharoor is in Delhi. Our SIT (Special Investigation Team) is working on the case, and if they require, they will call him (Tharoor) soon," Bassi told the media.
Tharoor had reached Delhi on Sunday from Kerala, where he was undergoing ayurvedic rejuvenation.
Delhi Police had on Tuesday registered a murder case in connection with Sunanda's death under section 302 of IPC on the basis of an AIIMS medical report that concluded that her death was unnatural and due to poisoning.
The SIT had, last week, interrogated Tharoor's domestic help Narayan Singh on specific details such as people who met her during the 48 hours prior to her death and the 15 injury marks on her body including the injection mark.
It had also visited the Leela Palace hotel and spent around two hours during which investigators questioned the hotel staff and also checked the hotel room once again. The staff was specifically asked whether anyone had seen or recovered any syringe or an injection vial from the room.
The SIT has also formed a list of at least 12 people including, Abhinav Kumar, who was PS to Tharoor.
It will also question Bajrangi, Tharoor's driver and a female journalist with whom Sunanda apparently spoke to before her death and all those who came in contact with her 48 hours before her death. Another man Sanjay Dewan, the couple's family friend who is believed to be at the hotel suite on that night when Sunanda was found dead will also be examined.
Pushkar, 52, was found dead in a luxury hotel here on January 17, 2014. Police have said she was poisoned to death.
In response to a question, Bassi said Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar, whose friendship with Tharoor had reportedly led to a row between him and Pushkar, may also be questioned if needed.
Pushkar was found dead just days after an open spat on Twitter drew attention to the couple's personal life and Tarar.