Fair probe underway, guilty won't be spared: Union Min Krishan Pal Gurjar on Sonali Phogat case
Aug 31, 2022
Faridabad (Haryana) [India], August 31 : Union minister Krishan Pal Gurjar on Wednesday said that a fair investigation is underway in the alleged murder of politician Sonali Phogat and the guilty will not be spared.
Speaking to ANI, the minister said, "The kind of news coming and the primary investigation report of the police in the Sonali Phogat case, it seems to be a case of murder. But nothing can be certain till the final investigation report comes. But the guilty will not be spared. Everything will come out."
Gurjar said a fair investigation is underway and the law will take its own course.
"This is a very sad incident. Our full condolences to the family of Sonali. The Haryana government wrote to the Goa government for a CBI investigation. It is to be seen what decision the Goa government takes," he added.
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 were arrested after being named as accused in the case.
The two accused - Sudhir Sangwan and Sukhwinder Singh - have been arrested and further investigations are on, the Goa Police said.
Further, the Goa Police arrested two more persons - Edwin Nunes and suspected drug peddler Dattaprasad Gaonkar - in connection with the case. The Police said that the investigation revealed that the drugs were supplied by Dattaprasad Gaonkar who was working as a room boy in Hotel Grand Leoney Resort in Anjuna where the accused and the deceased were staying.
Meanwhile, Goa Police reached Haryana earlier today for further investigation into the case.
Notably, Haryana Police detained a man after the family accused him of taking a laptop and mobile from the farmhouse of the deceased BJP leader. Haryana Police has recovered the items following which the questioning is underway.
"A man named Shivam has been detained. He was in UP's Meerut-Ghaziabad area. We are questioning him further," said Mandeep Chahal, SHO.
The official said that the police of both states will visit Sonali Phogat's farmhouse.
"Goa police has come. We are questioning a man named Shivam, he was in UP's Meerut-Ghaziabad area. He used to switch off his phone often. We have got a laptop and phone while further questioning is underway. Goa Police and Haryana Police will go to her (Sonali Phogat) farmhouse, then will go to the residence of Sonali Phogat in Sant Nagar in Hisar. Goa police will also go to Gurugram after this," he said.
Deputy Superintendant of Police (DSP), Hisar informed that a complaint was filed by the family of Sonali Phogat against Shivam.
"Family members filed a complaint against a man named Shivam accusing him of taking laptop and mobile. We recovered those and 4 DVRs (Digital video recorders). We are questioning him," said Naryan Chand, DSP, Hisar.
The official further said that the Goa Police is taking statements of the deceased's family and the Haryana Police is cooperating in the probe.
"Goa police personnel have come here. They are taking statements of Sonali Phogat's family members, and we are cooperating with them. We will accompany them to places they want to visit pertaining to the probe," Chand added.
Sonali Phogat's daughter Yashodhara Phogat on Tuesday demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged murder of her mother while also stating that the family is not satisfied with the probe conducted by the Goa Police.
She said that Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had assured of a CBI investigation into the case.
The family of Sonali Phogat had met Khattar on August 27, after which the Chief Minister had assured of a CBI probe into the case.
However, according to the deceased's daughter, "no action has been taken as of yet".
Speaking to ANI, Yashodhara said, "I demand a CBI probe as I'm not satisfied with the current probe. No action is being taken. The accused have been kept in Goa, they have yet not revealed their motive (behind the murder), so what are the police doing? It's about justice for my mother, we won't stand back until there is a CBI investigation. CM (of Haryana) said that CBI probe will happen but no action has been taken as of yet."
She claimed that the murder of her mother "was planned".
"My mother had told me that there would be shooting for nearly one week in Goa. But it comes to the fore that the resort was booked only for two days. It suggests that it was a planned murder," she said.