Sonali Phogat Case: Goa Police Make More Arrests, Consider Handing Over to CBI

The Goa government is considering handing over the Sonali Phogat murder investigation to the CBI.

The 41-year-old actor-turned-politician, Sonali Phogat, died in Goa while she was on a shoot on 23 August.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

After gathering substantial evidence, making several arrests, and upon the request of her family members, the Goa government is considering handing over the Sonali Phogat murder investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), reported news agency ANI.

"After all formalities today, if required, we will give this case to the CBI. We are deeply investigating the case. From drug peddlers to hoteliers and all those involved will be punished."

Goa CM Pramod Sawant to ANI

The Goa Police have arrested one more drug peddler in connection with the case of the alleged murder of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, an official said on Sunday. With this, five people have so far been arrested in the case.

Phogat, a former Tik Tok star and contestant on the reality show "Big Boss", passed away on 23 August, a day after her arrival in Goa.

'My Client Not Owner of Restaurant Where She Died' Claims Accused Lawyer

In a recent development in Sonali Phogat murder case, accused Edwin Nunes' lawyer on Sunday claimed that his client doesn't own the Curlies restaurant in north Goa where Phogat and two of her male companions had partied hours before her death.

This comes a day after he was arrested along with drug peddler Dattaprasad Gaonkar.

Nunes and drug peddlers Gaonkar have been sent to five-day police custody.

Advocate Kamalakant Poulekar, representing Nunes, told the court that his client doesn't own Curlies restaurant located on the Anjuna beach and it is for the prosecution to find and prove who owns the place, reported news agency PTI.

On Saturday night, the Anjuna police in the North Goa district arrested drug peddler Rama alias Ramadas Mandrekar for allegedly supplying drugs to another peddler Dattaprasad Gaonkar, who is already in custody in connection with the case, the official said.

Gaonkar had allegedly supplied drugs to the two other accused Sudhir Sangwan and Sukhwinder Singh, who accompanied Phogat on the Goa trip, the police had said earlier.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI.)