Hotelier, peddler held in Phogat case

Hisar/Panaji, August 27

The Goa Police on Saturday arrested a hotel owner and a drug peddler in connection with the alleged murder of Haryana BJP leader Sonali Phogat even as her Hisar-based family met Haryana CM ML Khattar, seeking a CBI probe into the case.

Dattaprasad Gaonkar, a peddler, had allegedly provided recreational drug methamphetamine to Phogat’s two associates who fed these to her, the police said.

Family members meet CM Khattar

Sonali Phogat’s family members met Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar, who assured them of all possible help

Edwin Nunes, the other person arrested on Saturday, is the owner of Curlies hotel and club in North Goa district where Phogat and her associates partied and where she was allegedly drugged hours before her death.

Her aides Sudhir Sangwan and Sukhwinder Singh, arrested earlier, allegedly told the police that they had procured drugs from Gaonkar, an official said. Gaonkar and Nunes were booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, he said.

Prima facie, Gaonkar sold drugs to Sangwan and Sukhwinder who made Phogat to consume these during the party at Curlies on the intervening night of August 22 and 23, the official said. Phogat was brought dead to St Anthony Hospital at Anjuna on August 23.

A local court today remanded Sagwan and Sukhwinder into police custody for 10 days. Phogat’s family members will meet Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar tomorrow to press for their demand for a CBI probe into her alleged murder. /PTI