BERGEN (VG) No one from the police was present when Salma’s unsolved death was investigated at the Hordaland District Court.
As the five-day trial continues, more new information has come to light in the case.
– It is strange that the police are not here. “We’re asking questions that the police never had a chance to when they investigated this case,” the family’s lawyer, Harald Graebe, tells VG.
But none of the police, stationed 500 meters down the street from the Bergen courthouse, made the trip to continue the investigation.
– The Attorney General dismissed the criminal case, saying it was not natural for the police to appear in court during a civil action against the same person, says Gunner Flostad, police inspector in the Western Police District.
Salma’s family in India filed the suit.
They believe he is responsible for Salma’s death and are asking for NOK 900,000 in compensation.
More errors
Salma was found dead in Bergen on 25 April 2017.
Before investigating Viji’s death as a case of murder, he revealed how the police made several mistakes in the investigation.
The investigation led to a manslaughter charge against the husband, and the entire case was dropped at the stage of evidence after new doubts arose about the cause of death.
The husband always denied that he had anything to do with Salma’s death.
Her lawyer, Reider Steinsvig, has repeatedly insisted that the case has been dropped and that the husband is therefore innocent.
The full story: Death in the nursery
Awake in the night of death
VG has examined the entire police investigation into Salma’s death.
In Hordaland District Court this week, information about the case that was not found in police documents emerged.
- Changed description of Night of the Dead
The husband says he was awake to check his mobile in the middle of the night when Salma died. He explained to the police that he had taken sleeping pills and slept all night. - New information about deleted web searches
The husband explained that online searches that police believed had been deleted. She never explained this when the police report on the online searches was ready only after her husband refused to go for a fresh interview. - Descriptions of undercover investigation
The husband has described conversations with a witness, which were recorded by police during an undercover investigation. He has not yet explained this to the police.
– The police did not listen
During the investigation into the death, the husband was repeatedly asked why he did not disclose the information he had told the court.
– If the police had asked me, I would have answered. If the police don’t ask, I don’t answer, the husband answers.
The husband’s attorney, Reider Steinsvig, points out that the information appearing in the courtroom is based on police documents.
read more: Deleted links to web searches for TV series
– Steinswick says he was not asked about this when the police questioned him.
– He did not explain to the police that he was awake the night Salma died. What is your opinion on that?
– If you ask him about this, he answers. When questioned by the police, he explained that he remembered it at the time, Steinswick replied.
A new investigation is required
Grape, the lawyer representing the family, has previously announced that a new investigation into Salma’s death will be conducted based on information in VG’s articles.
He believes the police should have been in the courtroom even though a new investigation was launched into the unsolved death.
– As I understand it, there is some disagreement within the police on this matter. So they’re at least here to learn from this case, says Greb.
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