Four days after a woman journalist with an English news portal leapt to death from the fifth floor of a building at Sadhbhawan Apartments in Sector 46 here, the Faridabad Police on Thursday arrested her friend Amit Kumar, a Haryana Police Inspector, on charges of abetment to suicide.
Amit, who was called for interrogation on Wednesday night, was arrested late on Thursday evening. “He has been arrested based on an audio clip that features him, Pooja and their common friend in which he is heard quarrelling with Pooja. Also Pooja’s parents gave a statement on Thursday alleging that Amit had breached their trust and could have forced Pooja to take the extreme step,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (NIT) Puran Chand.
Based on the complaint of the deceased’s father Ravi Tiwari, the police had earlier registered a case of abetment to suicide against Faridabad’s prominent paediatrician Anil Goyal, his gynaecologist wife Archana Goyal and Dr. Dhawal. The three doctors had got an FIR registered against Pooja accusing her of trying to extort money from them.
Earlier in the day, a three-page suicide note purportedly written by Pooja also surfaced suggesting that she was stressed due to the registration of a case of extortion against her.
Suicide note
The letter, written in Roman English, was handed over to the police by Amit on Wednesday night during interrogation.
“Amit told us that he found the note in the front pocket of a backpack kept in the flat of the deceased. We then informed the deceased’s family who have given us the samples of her handwriting. All the samples along with this suicide note will be sent for forensic examination to check its authenticity. We also have in our possession a diary written by Puja. It has also been written in Roman English,” said Faridabad Police Commissioner, Hanif Qureshi
In the suicide note, addressed to her parents, Pooja wrote, “I am taking this step, not because I am wrong. But I am tired of fighting this dirt...Do what you want, but never choose to be a journalist.” Saying that she loved her parents and brothers, she further wrote that action should be taken against Anil Goyal and his wife Archana Goyal as the two were involved in female foeticide. “Honesty and truth have no place in this world,” reads the note, written with two different pens, as the colour of the ink changes midway in the letter.
Neighbour’s statement
Meanwhile, the police have also recorded the statement of Pooja’s neighbour Usha Bhatia who claimed that Pooja was in a live-in relationship with Amit who used to abuse her physically and sexually. She claimed that the inspector had forced her to go for abortion more than once.
The Forensic Science Lab report, corroborating the investigating team’s finding, has also suggested that ‘the intention was not to jump’.
Meanwhile, news portal, www.iamin.in , where Pooja worked, issued a statement on Friday. “She joined the iamin team, which is a hyperlocal digital content platform, in September 2015 and worked with the organisation for seven months. She was recently put under suspension after allegations were made against her, as part of the standard operating process for the company to be able to carry out the enquiry with fairness. However, she was assured of all the required support regarding the case, and her salary or even increments were not withheld during this time...We as an organisation and her colleagues were there for her last rites and stand with the family in their hour of grief...,” said the statement.
