Cops probe ‘murder’ in Faridabad journo death

FARIDABAD: The mystery over the death of journalist

Pooja Tiwari

deepened on Friday with the police arresting her friend

Amit Vashishtha

for abetment to suicide. Vashishtha, an

inspector

with Haryana Police, was with Tiwari in her flat on Sunday night when she allegedly fell from the fifth floor of the apartment building in Faridabad. The police said Vashishtha had been charged under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code for abetting Tiwari’s suicide both because the journalist’s father accused him of frequently harassing her and because a sound clip had surfaced that allegedly showed the police officer arguing with the woman and her friend just before her death. “We are investigating the death from all possible angles, including murder,” Ganjender Kumar, additional commissioner of police, Ballabhgarh, told TOI. “The sound clip and a purported suicide note written by Tiwari have been sent for forensic verification.” Vashishtha was remanded in police custody for four days after being produced in court on Friday. The police said they would question him and try and recover the mobile phone and laptop of the victim, which could provide clues to the mysterious death. Police had earlier registered an FIR for abetment to suicide against three local doctors who had filed a police complaint against the journalist accusing her of extorting money after carrying out a sting operation against them. “After filing the FIR alleging extortion of money 25 days ago, we did not contact the journalist or put any pressure on her,” remonstrated lawyer Satyendar Bhadana, who appeared in court for the doctors on Friday. “She may have died due to other reasons; police are not investigating those angles.” However, the discovery of the sound clip and allegations of harassment swung the needle of suspicion firmly towards Vashishtha. The inspector, sources said, claimed innocence and even submitted to the police a suicide note allegedly written by Tiwari. “Dear Mom Dad. I am sorry. I don’t have the strength anymore. I am tired of fighting with this life and journalism,” the note read. However, there are questions about the manner in which the letter was found. “Vashishtha, who was transferred to Panchkula after the incident, claimed he found it in his bag,” said an officer. Her family initially said that the 28-year-old journalist had been depressed over an FIR filed by the doctors and gave Vashishtha clean chit. However, Tiwari’s parents, who live in Indore, later accused the inspector of harassing her. Police believe there were three people in Tiwari’s flat on Sunday night: she, her friend Ambareen and Vashishtha. All of them were reported to have been talking in the drawing room till late at night, after which Ambareen went to sleep, leaving the other two with drinks in their hands. Suddenly, Vashishtha claimed, Tiwari went and jumped from the balcony. He said he tried to save her but failed. Neighbours are intrigued. “Since the height of the balcony railing is nearly four feet, Pooja couldn’t have climbed over it without a chair,” wondered one. “And how could Amit, a well-built man, not pull her back?” While Tej Bahadur Singh, the security guard who rushed Tiwari to hospital, said the duo lived together in the flat, most flat owners that ToI spoke to claimed they knew nothing about the girl or the inspector prior to the news of the death on Monday. But Usha Bhatia, who claims to have known Tiwari for over a year, asserted, “Pooja lived in this colony for over a year. She shifted to the apartment in Sector 46 only two weeks ago. She and Amit had secretly got married.” However, police sources said Bhatia could not prove her claims.