Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant on Monday said that the state government will write to the Union Home Ministry requesting that probe into the death of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and actor Sonali Phogat be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). 


"Following the people's demand for CBI probe we're handing it over to CBI today. I'm writing to Home Minister for hand over. We trust our Police & they're doing good investigation but it's people's demand," CM Sawant was quoted by ANI on its official Twitter handle. 






Sawant told reporters in Panaji that the Goa Police had conducted a "tremendously good investigation" into the matter and had uncovered some leads.


“But due to the demand of people from Haryana and also Sonali Phogat's daughter, we have decided to write to the Union Home Ministry to hand over this case to the CBI,” Sawant was quoted by PTI in its report.


“I will personally write a letter to the Union Home Ministry,” he said.


Earlier on Sunday, the 'Sarv Jatiya Khap Mahapanchayat' issued a deadline to the Haryana government to seek a CBI inquiry into the killing of BJP politician Sonali Phogat by September 23 or face a public movement. Jat Dharamshala hosted the mahapanchayat.


Yashodhara, Phogat's adolescent daughter, and other family members also participated in the mahapanchayat.


Phogat, 43, died hours after arriving in Goa in late August, and her death is being investigated as a homicide.


If the government does not order an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the mahapanchayat has agreed to convene another such meeting on September 24.


It was announced that Khap delegates from all around Haryana and other states will attend and make a "difficult decision" on September 24, threatening to start a major movement after that.


In the mahapanchayat, a 15-member committee was constituted, which included five members of Phogat's family.


Yashodhara would be secured, Khap leader Tek Ram Kandela said reporters during a meeting with Hisar's superintendent of police.


(With Inputs From Agencies)