Sonali Phogat Murder: 2 Aides Arrested; Autopsy Shows ‘Multiple Blunt Force Injuries’ | Updates

The Goa Police on Thursday arrested two aides of Haryana BJP leader Sonali Phogat for their alleged involvement in her murder after a post-mortem revealed that there were “multiple blunt force injuries" on the body. Phogat (42) was initially suspected to have died due to a heart attack in Goa on August 23.

Phogat’s personal assistant Sudhir Sangwan and his friend Sukhwinder Wasi were arrested late evening after hours of questioning.

Sangwan and Wasi, who had accompanied Phogat when she arrived in Goa on August 22, were earlier named as accused in the murder case based on her brother Rinku Dhaka’s complaint. Rinku has filed a complaint with the Goa Police alleging that his sister was raped and murdered by her personal assistant and his friend.

Key updates on this big story:

— Mortal remains of Sonali Phogat were taken to her residence in Hisar on Thursday night. Rinku said, “We always felt that there was foul play and the same thing came out. So far, we are satisfied with the ongoing investigation…"

— Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said he spoke with his Goa counterpart and also police officials investigating the death. Asked about the family’s demand for a CBI probe, Khattar said, “We will do as the family members ask for. If they give us their demands in writing, we will give it for further process."

— Former Haryana minister Gopal Kanda is under the scanner as Phogat’s brother Rinku alleged that one of her staffers had links with Kanda, top sources have told News18. Kanda owns one of the biggest offshore casinos in Goa.

— Rinku has filed a complaint with the Goa Police that his sister was raped and murdered by her personal assistant and his friend. He claimed that Phogat spoke with mother, sister and brother-in-law hours before her death. “She (Phogat) said (Sudhir) Sanghwan (her PA) had given her drug-laced food with some intoxicant and raped her, and made a video, and was threatening to make the video viral on social media," Rinku had said in his complaint, as quoted by news agency ANI.

— Rinku also alleged, “She had no plan to come to Goa; was brought as per pre-planned conspiracy. There was no movie shoot, two rooms in a hotel were booked only for two days. Film shooting was supposed to happen on August 24 but rooms were only booked for Aug 21-22."

— Women police officers, who conducted a physical examination of Sonali Phogat’s body, however, have not found any sharp-edged injuries on the body, IGP OS Bishnoi said.

— Phogat had unsuccessfully contested the last assembly election from Adampur Assembly constituency against Kuldeep Bishnoi. Bishnoi, who was then in Congress, recently joined the BJP.

(With inputs from PTI)

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