Cop’s link to suicide: Family to move court

SHIMLA - Dissatisfied with the police investigation into suicide by a woman allegedly in love with a senior police officer’s son, her family is planning to move Himachal Pradesh High Court to seek a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe.

“We are planning to move the high court for a CBI probe into suicide of my daughter Ritu,” the victim’s father Sampoorna Singh told IANS Friday.

Ritu, 28, hanged herself from a ceiling fan at her residence here. She was reportedly having an affair with son of Inspector General of Police Pradeep Kumar Sarpal.

“I also met Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal in this regard but he insisted that crime investigating department (CID) is seriously conducting the probe. I still have doubts about the CID probe as a high-ranking police official is involved in the crime,” he said.

Sarpal, his wife and his son were booked for abetment to suicide and trying to destroy evidence from the crime scene.

The woman’s relatives alleged that she took the extreme step after the Sarpals refused to let her marry their son. Sidharth, a sub-judge in Mandi district, and Ritu were known to each other for 15 years.

As per the first information report, Sarpal, his son and some policemen entered Ritu’s house after her suicide and tried to tamper with the evidence. At that time, the victim was alone in her residence.