New Delhi: Two days after she took to Twitter to reveal that her marriage with Union Minister Shashi Tharoor was falling apart due to his suspected fling with a Pakistani journalist, Sunanda Pushkar was found dead at a luxury hotel in South Delhi on Friday night.

Sunanda was found dead in a third floor suite (No 345) of Leela Palace Hotel, situated in posh Chanakyapuri area of South Delhi. The couple had checked into the suite on Thursday as their official bungalow was undergoing renovation.

Police sources said that the 52-year-old entrepreneur’s death appears to be a case of suicide but the real reason will be known after autopsy.

Since their marriage had not completed seven years, a magisterial inquiry was also ordered to find out the cause. The Delhi Police had also pressed their forensic team to pick up the fine evidence to ascertain the reason of the incident.    

The minister was the first person to find her dead along with the hotel staff.

Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said the incident was brought to the notice around 8:30 pm. “It was reported that Sunanda Pushkar was lying dead in suite number 345 of The Leela Palace. Her post-mortem will be conducted on Saturday,” he said.

 Sunanda’s body was found on the bed, but there were no visible signs of “foul play or struggle” . The police are analysing CCTV footage of the hotel to make a list of persons who visited the suite since Thursday morning.

Crime and forensic experts also visited the spot to examine the scene of occurrence.

Tharoor’s personal secretary Abhinav Kumar said the minister had left the suite on Friday morning to attend All India Congress Committee meet at Talkatora Stadium. He returned around 8:30 pm, and saw Sunanda “sleeping” in the bedroom. Tharoor then sat for a while in the drawing room and enquired with personal staff about Sunanda. “He was informed that Sunanda was sleeping since late afternoon,” Kumar added.

Doctors had reportedly told Sunanda that she has tuberculosis of stomach.

After around 10-15 minutes, Tharoor tried to wake up Sunanda, but she did not respond. Worried, the minister informed other staff and also informed Abhinav around 8:45 pm.

 “Hospital’s doctors were also informed and they pronounced Sunanda dead,” Kumar said, adding that he then contacted Sarojini Nagar Police Station.

Local police and Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) rushed to the hotel around 9:15 pm after which the suite was sealed.
Tharoor had married Sunanda on August 22, 2010. “Future course of police action will be based on the SDM enquiry report,” Bhagat said.

Courting controversy
* In April 2010, she had to let go of her stake of Rs 70 crore, in IPL franchise Kochi Tuskers Kerala

* She was dating Union Minister Shashi Tharoor then

* Allegations were made that he had used her to collect the money for having helped Kochi get a franchise

* Married Tharoor in August 2010. Third marriage for both

* Her previous two marriages were to Sanjay Raina and Kerala businessman Sujith Menon

* On Wednesday, she had tweeted from her husband’saccount against Pak journalist Mehr Tarar, calling her a stalker, then ISI agent

* Tharoor later clarified he and Pushkar were happily married