CBI registers FIR in Sonali Phogat murder case after Goa CM sought agency's probe

Taking over the case from Goa Police, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) re-registered the First Information Report (FIR) in the suspicious death of BJP leader and actor Sonali Phogat on September 15. A team from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), along with Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) experts will reach Goa to collect the documents, and hold a discussion with the officials who were so far investigating the case. 

The development comes days after the Ministry of Home Affairs recommended a CBI investigation into Phogat's death. The recommendation was made after Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant approached the Ministry, at the behest of the bereaved family of the BJP leader. "Keeping in mind the constant demand of her daughter, we are going to hand over Sonali Phogat's murder probe case to the CBI today. I will personally write to the Home Minister requesting a CBI investigation in the case," the Goa CM had said. 

The Haryana CM, Manohar Lal Khattar had approached his Goa counterpart, Sawant after Phogat's family met him at his residence earlier this month. The actor's nephew, an advocate, Vikas Singhmar, on behalf of the family, expressed dissatisfaction with the investigation being carried out by the Goa police.

Sonali Phogat's death case 

On August 22, Phogat was taken to the St. Anthony's Hospital at Anjuna in North Goa, where she was declared brought dead. A heart attack was initially suspected to be the cause behind her death. However, her family alleged that it was a murder and subsequently, her brother Rinku Dhaka filed a complaint.

In the said complaint, he alleged that her personal assistant Sudhir Sangwan told them that there was a film shooting in Goa on August 24. But hotel rooms were booked only for two days, on August 22 and 23. He alleged that there was no film shoot, as when they reached the coastal state, they didn’t see any actor or film shoot there. Additionally, he alleged that Phogat had spoken to her mother, sister and brother-in-law a few hours before her death and had told the family members that Sudhir had given her 'food laced with some intoxicant'.

An FIR was filed on the basis of the complaint, and Sangwan and his associate, Sukhwinder Singh were arrested. During the interrogation, police said that the two had confessed that they had intentionally made her drink a liquid mixed with some "noxious" chemical while partying at Curlies restaurant on the intervening night of August 22 and 23.

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