PANAJI
In yet another sensational development into the mysterious murder of politician Sonali Phogat, her personal assistant Sudhir Sanghwan has purportedly confessed to having pre-planned her murder.
Sanghwan, currently in police custody with his associate Sukhwinder Singh, was eyeing her assets inherited after her husband Sanjay Phogat died in 2016.
Reports suggest that the first accused confessed to the Anjuna police that Phogat’s murder in Goa was planned before the trio’s arrival on August 22, and no shooting was scheduled. “She was trapped in travelling to Goa for a shooting. There was no video shoot scheduled,” an official said.
Phogat inherited 13 acres of land which comprises a farmhouse and a resort covering six acres. The farmhouse is located near the Sirsa-Rajgad road bypass. While the cost of each acre in this village is around Rs 7-8 crore, Phogat’s property is estimated at around Rs 96 crore. Another house and shops at Sant Nagar are valued at Rs 3 crore.
In addition to these, Phogat owned two apartments outside Haryana and made several investments. Her bank transactions and lockers are now in the possession of the police for investigation.
DSP Narayan Chand has said that the Goa police team in Haryana are looking at the property angle that led to Phogat’s murder. “Whether the accused mislead the victim into transferring her property in their name or if they forgot documents are being inquired into. They are seeking our assistance to probe whether she was killed for property,” he said.
Sources in Goa Police said they are covering every angle from political to property leading to the 42-year-old’s brutal murder.
The family, an officer said, are also being quizzed for more leads and other information.
Family to move court seeking CBI probe
PANAJI: Goa government could soon be dragged to the Punjab and Haryana High Court as the grief-stricken Phogat family has decided to seek the judiciary’s intervention to transfer the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
A writ petition is likely to be filed mid-week with the Goa government and Goa Police among the respondents. “We have been demanding a CBI probe right from the beginning. None of us in the family are content with how Goa Police handled the case and its ongoing probe. Their (Goa Police) officers are in Haryana but why is Sudhir Sangwan not brought for the probe,” Phogat’s nephew questioned as he alleged that authorities in Goa are attempting to shield the culprits.
The Police Inspector-led team will also visit Gurugram’s Green Society where Phogat and her accused hired an apartment three months ago.
On their return with the evidence and statements of all those concerned with the deceased and accused, Goa Police is likely to complete the investigation and file a chargesheet. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has directed the department to expedite the probe.
