New Delhi, Friday 23 April 2010: Sunanda Pushkar, whose links with Shashi Tharoor and IPL Kochi triggered a big controversy, admitted she has helped the franchise to raise a lot of money but denied acting as his proxy in getting sweat equity worth Rs.70 crore.

She termed as insulting accusation that she was acting as a proxy for Tharoor. “Can’t I make my own money? He has not been corrupt for so many years-for which I am proud to be his friend-why would he be corrupt now?

Sunanda, 48, said she had met Tharoor two years back through a friend Sunny Varkey, and “we got along immediately”.

“We are certainly close now, but that closeness only developed less than five months ago. I am very proud to know him because, most of all, he is good and honest man,” she said in an interview.

(PTI)