Sonali Phogat murder: Amid demand for CBI probe, Goa Police to visit Haryana today

Panaji: A team of Goa Police probing BJP leader and social media influencer Sonali Phogat’s mysterious death will visit Haryana to continue its probe into the case, according to Inspector General of Police (Goa) Omvir Singh Bishnoi.

Earlier on Monday, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said that if the need arises, the Sonali Phogat murder case will be transferred to the CBI. While speaking to reporters, Sawant said that all the accused have been arrested and further investigations are going on. 

Confidential report sent to Haryana CM

The Goa CM also said that the Haryana Chief Minister has been informed of the investigation. All the reports have been sent to the DGP Haryana. He also said that if the need arises, CBI will be involved.

"We`ve arrested all accused. We are in talks with Haryana CM and have sent all reports to DGP Haryana. If we later feel the need to involve CBI, we will ask for it, CM Sawant said.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had assured Sonali Phogat`s family of a CBI probe into the actor`s death, Phogat`s sister Rupesh said after meeting CM Khattar in Chandigarh. The Haryana government will write to the Goa government seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the death of BJP leader Sonali Phogat after her family met with Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in this regard, informed the Chief Minister`s Office (CMO) on Saturday.

Family members of the deceased BJP leader Sonali Phogat met Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar at his residence. 

Sonali Phogat death

Sonali Phogat, 42, was declared dead at the St Anthony Hospital at Anjuna in North Goa on August 23. A post-mortem report revealed blunt force injury on her body, following which the Goa Police registered a murder case. Earlier, Goa Police had said that Sonali Phogat was forcibly drugged by her two associates who are now arrested after being named as accused in the case.

The Court in Goa on Sunday remanded the three accused in the death case of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sonali Phogat and sent them to five-day police custody. The three persons accused in the BJP leader`s death who were produced before the Court were the owner of Curlies restaurant Edwin Nunes, drug peddler Rama Mandrekar and Dattaprasad Gaonkar.

The Court has also rejected the bail plea of Nunes in connection with the alleged murder of Sonali Phogat. The Goa Police arrested two more persons-- Edwin Nunes and suspected drug peddler Dattprashad Gaonkar-- in connection with the murder case of BJP leader Sonali Phogat, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Jivba Dalvi said on Saturday.

The Police said that the investigation revealed that the drugs were supplied by a person named Dattaprasad Gaonkar who was working as a room boy in Hotel Grand Leoney Resort in Anjuna where the accused persons and the deceased lady were staying.