Ankita Bhandari Murder: Parents Meet CBI Amid 'VIP' Row
Parents of Ankita Bhandari meet CBI officials seeking a fair probe amid controversy over a VIP's alleged involvement and a new gubernatorial appointment.
The parents of Ankita Bhandari have met with senior officials at the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) headquarters in Delhi, seeking justice and a transparent investigation into their daughter's brutal murder. During the meeting, the family provided critical information regarding various aspects of the case, while CBI officials assured them that the probe would be conducted in a fair and impartial manner, leaving no stone unturned.
The 'VIP' Controversy and Political Tension
This meeting comes at a time of heightened tension following the appointment of Dushyant Gautam, the former BJP Uttarakhand in-charge, as the Governor of Sikkim. The appointment has sparked a row, as the family of the victim believes that individuals whose names surfaced during the investigation should not hold constitutional offices until they are fully cleared by investigative agencies.
In a desperate bid for attention, Ankita's parents had previously staged a sit-in at India Gate in Delhi. They demanded that Dushyant Gautam's gubernatorial appointment be put on hold until the CBI probe is concluded. This protest led to their detention by the police, though they were later released from the Tilak Marg Police Station.
Demands for Evidence and Transparency
The family has raised several pointed questions and demands to the authorities to ensure that powerful individuals are not being shielded:
- Call Records: The family has demanded the immediate public disclosure of location details and call records for both Ajay Kumar and Dushyant Kumar for the dates of September 18–19, 2022.
- Missing Evidence: Concerns were raised regarding an old mobile phone belonging to the key accused, Pulkit Arya, which the family claims the Special Investigation Team (SIT) failed to recover.
- Resort Demolition: The parents are seeking a complete clarification on why the resort was demolished and have demanded its full reconstruction to preserve the physical context of the crime for accountability.
The Tragic Timeline of the Case
The case dates back to September 2022, when Ankita Bhandari, a receptionist at a resort near Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, was murdered on September 18. Her body was eventually recovered from the Chilla Canal on September 24, 2022.
The legal proceedings led to the arrest of the resort owner, Pulkit Arya—the son of expelled BJP leader Vinod Arya—along with two staff members, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta. On May 30, 2025, Additional District Judge Reena Negi in Kotdwar sentenced the three men to life imprisonment for murder and the destruction of evidence.
Police Response and the SIT Probe
Addressing the media at the police headquarters in Dehradun, Additional Director General of Police (Crime and Law & Order) V Murugesan emphasized that the police acted swiftly. He stated that all three accused were arrested within 24 hours of the incident and remain in jail.
Murugesan further noted that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was immediately formed under the directions of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, headed by a woman IPS officer of DIG rank to ensure an effective investigation.
While the SIT probe mentioned a "VIP" in relation to a specific room, the police have maintained that the convictions were based on the evidence found against the three primary accused. However, the family continues to insist that the identity of this "VIP" guest must be revealed to ensure complete justice.