After making first in-court appearance in Sunanda Pushkar death case, Shashi Tharoor breaks silence. Here's what he said

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has issued a statement after making his first court appearance since being named in the chargesheet in the Sunanda Pushkar death case. Taking to Twitter mere hours after being given 'regular' bail in the case at New Delhi's Patiala House Court, Tharoor wrote:

"Appeared before learned ACMM Samar Vishal at Patiala House Court today & filed surety as required. As I have done throughout, I will continue to co-operate w/the authorities as the judicial process unfolds. My conscience is clear & I remain confident that justice will prevail."

READ | Shashi Tharoor Appears In Court In The Sunanda Pushkar Death Case. Updates Here

Earlier on Saturday, two days after he was given anticipatory bail, Tharoor was given regular bail with the next date of hearing fixed for July 26. A flashpoint in the in-court proceedings had been Tharoor's counsel Vikas Pahwa and the Delhi Police both opposing BJP MP Dr Subramanian Swamy's attempt to intercede in the case and seek a vigilance report from the Delhi Police over evidence allegedly being tampered. 

"The court took a fair stand that the counsel for the accused should file a rejoinder/counter-affidavit to my application. I am only here to see that the trial is fair and that the Delhi Police doesn't botch it up", Dr Swamy said after the proceedings for the day ended.

In response, Vikas Pahwa said:

"There was an application filed by Dr Swamy which we have opposed because he's an absolute stranger to the case, he has no locus. He's not a complainant. He's not related to the case at all. Even the public prosecutor is opposing his locus in court. Dr Swamy's petition was dismissed by the Delhi High Court and it is in the Supreme Court but the court hasn't heard it."

Speaking to Republic TV, Dr Swamy replied: "It is my petition that has brought it this far. Delhi Police has acted on that basis. No question of me not having locus. These are bland statements that lawyers use."

On Thursday, Shashi Tharoor had been given anticipatory bail on the condition that he doesn't tamper with the evidence and doesn't leave India without permission, as well as a surety of Rs 1 lakh.

During the hearing on June 7, the judge had taken cognisance of the Delhi Police's chargesheet against Tharoor where charges had been admitted against him under IPC 306 (Abetment to suicide) and IPC 498 (Cruelty).

Shashi Tharoor's wife Sunanda Pushkar was found dead under mysterious circumstances in a suite of a five-star hotel in Delhi on the night of January 17, 2014. A number of investigative reports by Republic TV have highlighted the Delhi Police's shortcomings in the case prior to the chargesheet finally being filed.