Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday said that the government is handing over the case pertaining to the death of Haryana BJP leader and TikTok star Sonali Phogat to the CBI. 

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“We have decided to hand over the Sonali Phogat investigation to the CBI. We have full faith in our police but people have repeatedly demanded and her daughter has also demanded that the case be handled by the CBI,” Sawant said. 

Sawant said that the state government will hand over the probe to CBI today and will also write to the Home Minister for the same. 

Phogat, whose death is being treated as a case of murder, died in the intervening night of August 22-23, a day after she arrived in Goa. She died after being allegedly drugged by her personal assistant Sudhir Sangwan and his associate Sukhwinder Singh. Both associates are now in police custody, who have been demanded to 13 days of custody.

Pramod Sawant had earlier said his government is ready to hand over the case to the CBI, if required. He further said that though he has faith in Goa Police, but people of Haryana had sought a CBI investigation in the matter.

On September 9, Superintendent of Police (North) Shobit Saxena had said that Goa the Police were in a good place investigating the murder case and were confident of filing a chargesheet. Opposition parties in Goa had also demanded the case to be handed over to the CBI.

The state police have so far arrested five people in connection with the case. These include two associates of Phogat who have been charged with murder.

Referring to Curlies restaurant at Anjuna where Phogat was allegedly administered drugs, Sawant said the restaurant premises are sealed by authorities. The Supreme Court has, however, stayed the demolition of the restaurant over the alleged violation of green norms.