Haryana govt forms SIT to probe Pooja Tiwari’s death

The Haryana government has ordered the constitution of a Special Investigation Team to probe the death of journalist Pooja Tiwari.

The Haryana government has ordered the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the death of journalist Pooja Tiwari on May 1 night.

Members of the Indore Press Club protest the death of journalist Pooja Tiwari in Indore. (Hindustan Times file)

“On the instructions of the state government, we have constituted SIT to investigate this sensitive case that will be headed by IPS officer Astha Modi,” commissioner of police for Faridabad, Hanif Qureshi, said.

“Though the IPS officer will be overall heading the SIT, deputy commissioner of police NIT zone, Puran Chand Panwar, will continue to supervise the investigation,” the commissioner said. “The inclusion of the woman IPS officer was necessitated keeping in view the sensitivity of the case,” he said.

Chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar had a few days ago hinted at the constitution of an SIT in the case. The chief minister had said that when the incident took place in Faridabad, he came to know about it from Madhya Pradesh as the victim belonged to Indore. Astha Modi is currently posted as ACP Faridabad.

There are reports that the family members of the deceased journalist wanted the case to be handed over to the CBI.

Read: Journalist Pooja Tiwari death: Arrested cop suspended

The police are likely to collect the voice samples of suspended police inspector Amit Vaishisht. This will be done to ascertain the authenticity of an audio clip that has surfaced in the case.

The police are investigating the authenticity of the audio that surfaced on the day of Tiwari’s death. The purported conversation between the inspector and Pooja suggests some kind of tension between the duo.

Amit Vaishisht is in 14 days judicial custody.

Police claimed to have recovered four cell phones and laptop from the possession of Amit.

“Amit’s handwriting samples are being taken to verify if the suicide note handed over to the police was written by him or Pooja,” an official said.