AAP questions Goa govt for ruling out foul play in Sonali Phogat's death

Panaji: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday questioned the BJP government and Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant for trying to create a narrative that there was no foul play in the death of BJP leader and social media influencer Sonali Phogat.

State president Adv. Amit Palekar, a criminal lawyer himself, said that there appears to be undue haste by the police and the CM to rule out any criminal angle to the demise, especially in the wake of her own family raising serious questions about the circumstances of Sonali's death. "The family of the victim has filed a written complaint suspecting rape and murder and has even named the suspects including her personal assistants. The sister of the victim has stated that Sonali felt uneasy after her meal, and told the sister that "something fishy was going on," said Palekar.

The brother of the victim has claimed that Goa Police is not cooperating with the family. "On what basis is the CM certifying "cardiac arrest" as the cause of death, when the family has confirmed that the victim was physically fit and is suspecting foul play? Why is Sawant ignoring the appeal for justice by the 15-year-old daughter of the victim?" Palekar asked.
AAP Goa leader Adv. Surel Tilve said that law and order under CM Sawant have collapsed so much that BJP's own leader cannot get justice.

"Besides being a well-known personality, Phogat was a national leader of the BJP, has held many important positions such as National Vice-President of its Mahila Morcha, and In-charge of the party's Scheduled Tribe Wing in Haryana, Delhi, and Chandigarh. What are the Police and Home Minister trying to hide? Why is Sawant ignoring the family's demand for a CBI investigation. Is the CBI to be used only to target AAP ministers in fake cases?" Tilve asked.
Meanwhile, the Goa Police on Thursday registered a murder case against two persons for their alleged involvement in the death of Sonali Phogat.

"Murder case registered against two persons in the death of BJP leader Sonali Phogat," said Goa Police. 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.

Sonali 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 Sonali Phogat, who was a BJP leader, had spoken to her mother, sister and brother-in-law a few hours before her demise on August 23. He claimed that during the conversation, she had complained about her staff.

Rinku alleged that Phogat's PA raped her after lacing her meals with drugs.
Meanwhile, her 15-year-old daughter Yashodhara of the BJP leader sought justice for her mother.
Sonali, who hailed from Haryana, 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)