Sonali Phogat death case: Family welcomes CBI probe

HISAR: BJP politician Sonali Phogat's family on Monday welcomed the Centre's decision for a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into her death.

Rinku Phogat, brother of Sonali Phogat, said that ''our family has been demanding CBI investigation in this matter right from the start''. He said the family suspects a ''conspiracy'' behind her death and only a CBI probe can bring the truth out. Rinku expressed confidence that the agency will probe deeply into the matter.

The Union Home Ministry on Monday handed over the case to the CBI after Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant recommended it in a letter.

Phogat (43), a BJP leader from Hisar in Haryana, died in Goa last month under suspicious circumstances and it is being treated as a case of murder.

So far, Sudhir Sangwan, another aide Sukhwinder Singh and three others have been arrested in connection with the case. Sawant told reporters in Panaji that the Goa Police have done a ''tremendously good investigation'' into the case and have also got some clues. ''But due to the demand of people from Haryana and also Sonali Phogat's daughter, we have decided to write to the Union Home Ministry to hand over this case to the CBI,'' Sawant said. Notably, on Sunday in Hisar, the 'Sarv Jatiya Khap Mahapanchayat' had given an ultimatum to the government to recommend a CBI probe into the case by September 23 or else they will start a mass agitation. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had on Sunday said in Gurugram that the Haryana government also wants a CBI inquiry into this case.

Phogat's family had earlier met the chief minister. The Goa Police has also visited Haryana's Hisar, Rohtak and Gurugram in connection with the case.