PANAJI: BJP leader Sonali Phogat was drugged during the party in a restaurant at Anjuna by both the accused, who are currently detained by police, before her death, Inspector General of Police Omvir Singh Bishnoi told reporters on Friday.
The IGP told reporters at Anjuna Police station that both the accused were seen mixing “some obnoxious chemical substance” in the liquid which was fed to her. He said the she was fed the substance again, for the second time by the accused.
The IGP said that both the accused have confessed that they had intentionally mixed the obnoxious substance in her drinks. When questioned, Bishnoi said that the intention of the accused to kill her could be to have “economic interest.”
He said that the accused were seen taking the victim to the washroom of the restaurant at around 4.30 am and they were inside it for two hours. The IGP said that the custodial interrogation will reveal what exactly happened during those two hours.
Goa Police have detained Sudhir Sagwan and Sukhwinder Singh in connection with the case. Both the accused had travelled to Goa along with the deceased. The IGP said that the incident of drugging happened at Curlies Restaurant at Anjuna.
He said that after receiving complaint from Sonali’s brother, the investigating officer conducted investigation around all the places where they had gone and also recorded statement of witnesses.
The IGP said that the both the accused would be arrested for their custodial interrogation to get the further details.
He said that two more women were also with the accused in the party, who were seen cutting the cake. “Both the girls have been identified and they are also being questioned,” he said.
When asked about multiple blunt force injuries on her body identified during the postmortem, Bishnoi said that the accused have said that it could have been abrasion marks due to abrasion while she was taken to the hospital.
Bishnoi said that when she was taken to the hospital there was no visual injuries due to which depending on physical examination, the doctors had suspected that she died due to heart attack.
The IGP said that it seems that she died due to the substance that was fed to her through the liquid.
He said that the police will record statement of taxi drivers who ferried her from Curlies to Hotel and also from the Hotel to the hospital.
Bishnoi said that more people were supposed to join the group from Mumbai as they had some video shoot.
The IGP said that the source of drugs procured by the accused would be known only after the custodial interrogation.
