Sonali Phogat case: CM Khattar assures CBI probe if family demands in writing

CHANDIGARH (HARYANA), (ANI): Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday said that his government will consider a CBI probe into the death of actor Sonali Phogat if her family demands so in writing.

“We will do as the family members ask for, if they give us their demands in writing, we will give it for further process,” CM Khattar on the demand of Sonali Phogat’s family for a CBI enquiry into her death.

He also said that her family’s suspicion can only be cleared only after the post-mortem reports arrive. “I spoke with CM Goa and police officials. Her family members have written a complaint suspecting murder. Will only know more about the matter only after the post-mortem is done,” Khattar added mentioning that viscera samples will be tested there in Goa as well as in Chandigarh.

Sonali, the BJP leader from Hisar in Haryana, was brought dead to the St Anthony Hospital at Anjuna in North Goa on Tuesday morning. While preliminary reports suggested that she died of a cardiac arrest, her family members suspect foul play. Meanwhile, the Goa Police said no sharp-edged injuries were found on the body of Sonali Phogat who died in Goa on Tuesday.

The Goa Police also registered a murder case against two persons on Thursday for their alleged involvement in the death of Phogat. Phogat’s body will reach Delhi this night.

“Murder case has been registered against two persons in Anjuna Police Station. The probe in the case is underway. The deceased’s brother has mentioned the involvement of her PA and one other person. Post-mortem report expected in 1-2 hours. Victim’s body will reach Delhi tonight,” OS Bishnoi, Inspector General of Police, Goa told ANI. “Women police officers who conducted a physical examination of Sonali Phogat’s body have not found any sharp-edged injuries on the body,” added the IGP Bishnoi.

Sonali Phogat’s brother Rinku said the actor had no plans to visit Goa and she was brought there as per a conspiracy. “She had no plan to come to Goa. She was brought as per a pre-planned conspiracy. There was no movie shoot. Two rooms in the hotel had been booked only for two days. Film shooting was supposed to happen on August 24 but rooms were only booked for August 21-22,” Rinku said.

Phogat’s brother Rinku Dhaka has filed a complaint with Goa Police, alleging that his sister was raped and murdered by her personal assistant Sudhir Sangwan and his friend Sukhwinder. In the complaint, Rinku stated that Phogat had spoken to her mother, sister and brother-in-law a few hours before her demise on August 23.

Rinku alleged that Phogat’s PA raped her after adding drugs to her meals. Phogat contested the last Assembly election from Haryana from the Adampur constituency on a BJP ticket against Kuldeep Bishnoi. She also appeared in the reality show ‘Bigg Boss’ in 2020. (ANI)