Ready to hand over Sonali murder case to CBI: Goa CM

A fifth person was arrested in connection with the murder of Haryana BJP leader Sonali Phogat in the beach village of Anjuna, even as Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday said that the state government was willing to handover the murder investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as suggested by his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar.

"The Haryana CM had called me yesterday. He told me that Phogat's family members have met him. He has requested to give the case to the CBI if required. The Goa government is open to handing over the case to the CBI. At present investigation is on. But if required we are ready to give the case to the CBI. But nobody involved will go scot free. Those involved will go behind the bars," Sawant told reporters here.

"So far five (persons) have been arrested. We will not tolerate drug trade in Goa. The Anti-Narcotic Cell is activated. Tourists come here for scenic beauty. We will not tolerate drugs in the state," Sawant said.

Also read | Sonali Phogat case: Goa court remands three accused to police custody for 5 days

On Sunday, police arrested one Rama Mandrekar who allegedly supplied metamemphatamine, a party drug to Sudhir Sangwan, one of the two associates of Phogat who have been arrested by the police and booked for murder.

Phogat, who had complained of uneasiness on Monday night after dinner, was brought dead on arrival at a local hospital in North Goa on Tuesday (Aug 23) morning.

She was holidaying in Goa with her associates. Her family had however alleged foul play in Phogat's death, even though Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had initially claimed that Phogat had died due to a heart attack.

Her associates Sangwan and Sukhwinder Singh have already been arrested for the murder, along with in all three drug dealers have been nabbed for supplying drugs to the duo booked under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code.

According to the police Phogat had been drugged by Singh and Sangwan at the Curlies beach shack in Goa during a party.