Ravi Shankar Prasad unconditionally withdraws comment calling Shashi Tharoor a murder accused; Tharoor to withdraw defamation case

Union Law & Justice Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad has unconditionally withdrawn his comment calling Shashi Tharoor a murder accused. .In his letter to the Congress Leader, the Minister has said, .More than a year ago during the heat of campaign, I had made a comment describing you as an accused in a murder case. On receiving subsequent information about the conclusion of the investigation in the concerned case, I learnt that the said allegation against you is not factually correct. I accordingly, withdraw it unconditonally.Ravi Shankar Prasad.The letter futher reads, "I have known you for the last many years both in the Parliament and also from your UN days. While we differ politically, at times strongly, we both have maintained mutual respect and amity. You would appreciate that in a democratic polity, debate, discussion, differences, arguments as well as criticism is of essencce. However, while upholding these salutary principles, one should not hurt others' sentiments and reputation, and I had no intention of doing so in your case.".Minister Prasad has also urged Tharoor to introspect that the comment, in response to which Shankar had described Tharoor as a murder accused, was avoidable. .In response to the withdrawal, Tharoor has stated, ."It was very gracious of you to withdraw your words in respect of myself, which had offended me greatly. I welcome your sentiments of our long association, I am happy to treat the matter as closed. I am instructing my lawyers to withdraw the case I had filed on this matter.Dr Shashi Tharoor.Shashi Tharoor files criminal defamation case against Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.While introducing his book, ‘The Paradoxical Prime Minister: Narendra Modi and his India’, Tharoor had said,“There’s an extraordinary striking metaphor expressed by an unnamed RSS source to the journalist Mr. Vinod K Jose of ‘The Caravan’. The RSS source said [Narendra] Modi is like a Scorpion sitting on a Shiv Linga. You cannot remove him with your hand and you cannot hit it with a chappal either.”.In response, during a press conference held in 2018, Prasad criticised Tharoor for having made the statement, while referring to Tharoor as being an accused in a murder case. .Prasad also tweeted a video clip of the press conference, containing these statements, on the morning of October 28..Tharoor had then filed a criminal defamation case against Prasad before a Kerala court..Tharoor is the sole accused in the case concerning the alleged suicide by his wife, Sunanda Pushkar. .Sunanda Pushkar: Delhi Police presses for framing of charges against Shashi Tharoor under Sections 498A, 306 or 302 IPC.The criminal case is presently at the stage of framing of charges..Read the letters:.Follow Bar and Bench channel on WhatsAppDownload the Bar and Bench Mobile app for instant access to the latest legal news.