BJP leader and actor Sonali Phogat’s post-mortem report has revealed "multiple blunt force injuries" on her body. The Goa Police has registered a murder case and detained two associates of Phogat who had brought her to St Anthony Hospital in Anjuna, North Goa, on August 23 morning, where she was declared dead. Doctors had then said the cause of death was a suspected heart attack.
However, her family accused the duo of killing her. They agreed to an autopsy by a panel of forensic experts from the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), who conducted the procedure.
In the report, Dr Sunil Shrikant Chimbolkar of the Forensic Science Department of GMCH said the cause of death was reserved pending chemical analysis. However, the report pointed out that there were multiple blunt force injuries on her body, news agency PTI reported.
Based on the report, the Anjuna Police filed charges against Sudhir Sagwan and Sukhwinder Wasi, who accompanied Sonali Phogat to Goa on August 22.
Phogat’s family alleged foul play and her brother Rinku Dhaka filed a complaint against the two men at Anjuna Police Station on August 24. In the complaint, Dhaka said Phogat had spoken to her mother, sister and brother-in-law a few hours before her death on August 23. She had then complained about her staff.
Dhaka also alleged that three years ago, Phogat was sexually assaulted by one of her aides who spiked her food and later blackmailed her.
“She (Phogat) said Sagwan had given her food laced with some intoxicant, raped her and made a video and was threatening to make the video viral on social media," Mint reported quoting from the police complaint.
Dhaka also said Phogat’s two colleagues were planning this for many days.
“She had no plans to come to Goa. Was brought as per pre-planned conspiracy,” ANI quoted Dhaka as saying.
Dhaka added that Phogat did not have a movie shoot till August 24. But two hotel rooms were booked for August 21-22.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the state police was conducting a detailed investigation into the death of Sonali Phogat.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said on August 25 the state was open to ordering a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the case.
"If that's what the family wants, we will do it," NDTV quoted Khattar as saying.
He added that part of her viscera will be examined at a government lab in Chandigarh as well, as per the family's wishes.
Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said a high-level inquiry should be conducted to reveal the truth behind Phogat’s death.
Phogat, 42, was an actor from Haryana. She contested the last Assembly election from the Adampur constituency in Haryana on a BJP ticket. She shot to fame with her Tik Tok videos and after appearing in the reality show Bigg Boss in 2020.
