Sonali Phogat death case: Home Ministry recommends CBI probe

The Union Home Ministry on Monday recommended a CBI probe into the death of BJP leader Sonali Phogat, officials said. Phogat, 43, was found dead in Goa on August 22-23 night. The MHA's move came after Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah requesting a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The home ministry asked the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to get the case probed by the CBI, an official privy to the development said. The CBI functions under the administrative control of the DoPT.

Phogat, the BJP leader from Hisar in Haryana, died in Goa in the intervening night of August 22-23 and her death is being treated as a case of murder. Earlier in the day, Sawant told reporters in Panaji that the Goa Police has done a "tremendously good investigation" in 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. The Goa Police had arrested five people, including two aides of Phogat, in connection with the case.

The police have booked her two aides under the charge of murder.

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