Goa police files murder case in Sonali Phogat death, books 2 aides | India News

PANAJI: After initial reluctance, Goa police on Thursday registered a murder case in the death of Haryana BJP politician Sonali Phogat and have booked two persons, who had accompanied her to Goa.
The murder case was registered after the postmortem revealed “multiple blunt force injuries” over Phogat’s body. She had died at Anjuna on Tuesday morning and the postmortem was conducted on Thursday, after her family finally gave their consent. “We have booked Phogat’s PA Sudhir Sangwan and her friend Sukhwinder in connection with the murder,” Anjuna PI Prashal Dessai said. Both have been detained and police are interrogating them.
“It is an earmarked case. SP North will be personally monitoring the investigations,” DGP Jaspal Singh told TOI.
However, the panel of Goa Medical College doctors who conducted the postmortem have reserved the cause of death. “The cause of death to the best of our knowledge and belief is reserved pending chemical analysis, histopathology and serological reports of the tissues preserved. However, there are multiple blunt force injuries over the body. In view of the above, the manner of death is for the investigating officer to ascertain,” the panel consisting of Dr Sunil Chimbolkar and Dr Mandar Kantak said.
The multiple blunt force injuries over the body were below the skin and were noticed after the incision on the body was made. It is likely to have been caused six hours prior to her death, a forensic official said.

“The injuries may have been caused by fist blows or due to a fall. The injuries were fresh,” the forensic official said.
Phogat’s body was handed over to the family to perform final rites and the family has left the state with her mortal remains. “We are satisfied with the investigation of the Goa police,” Phogat’s brother Rinku Dhaka said.

“Based on our complaint, an FIR has been registered. The medical report has shown injuries. There are major injuries at four to five places on her body. On the basis of my complaint, investigation will follow,” the brother said.
Dhaka on Wednesday had filed a police complaint to register the death as murder case and to book the two persons who had accompanied Phogat to Goa. After registering the case, chief minister Pramod Sawant said the DGP has been given a free hand to investigate the case. Initially, the family had refused to allow police to conduct postmortem until a murder case was registered, but after the intervention of the National Commission for Women, the family granted their consent, a senior police officer said.
DGP Singh had said that Phogat had visited Curlies—a private shack near Anjuna beach — on Monday night, where she complained of uneasiness and subsequently left for her hotel room.
According to police, Phogat complained of uneasiness on Tuesday morning, too, but when her friend and her PA advised her to go to a hospital, she declined. Soon after, police said, she fell unconscious and was rushed to a private hospital at Anjuna, where she was declared brought dead.