Harish Rawat Detained in Dehradun Amid Row Over Ankita Bhandari Case
Former Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat was detained in Dehradun while protesting the appointment of Dushyant Gautam as Sikkim Governor.
Tensions escalated in Dehradun on Thursday as former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat was detained by police outside Lok Bhavan. Rawat, along with other senior Congress leaders including Pritam Singh and Harak Singh Rawat, had gathered to raise their voices regarding the controversial appointment of BJP leader Dushyant Gautam as the Governor of Sikkim, linking the appointment to the haunting shadows of the Ankita Bhandari murder case.
Detention at Lok Bhavan
The incident unfolded when Congress workers and leaders assembled outside Lok Bhavan, where they began raising slogans. The situation prompted police intervention, leading to the detention of Harish Rawat. Speaking to reporters, Rawat clarified that the gathering was not intended to be a violent protest.
"Whereas we had no plans for any kind of protest; the only intention was to submit a memorandum," Rawat stated.
He further emphasized that the memorandum specifically questioned the appointment of Dushyant Gautam, asserting that Gautam remains "under the scanner." Rawat argued that until the CBI identifies the "VIP" involved in the Ankita Bhandari case, the people of Uttarakhand would view Gautam as guilty.
The Ankita Bhandari Tragedy
The current political turmoil stems from the brutal murder of Ankita Bhandari, a resort receptionist near Rishikesh. Ankita was murdered on September 18, 2022, and her body was later recovered from the Chilla Canal on September 24 of the same year.
The legal proceedings in the case led to the conviction of resort owner Pulkit Arya—the son of expelled BJP leader Vinod Arya—and two staff members, Ankit Gupta and Saurabh Bhaskar. On May 30, 2025, Additional District Judge Reena Negi sentenced the three to life imprisonment for murder and the destruction of evidence.
The Mystery of the 'VIP'
Despite the convictions, a cloud of suspicion remains over the involvement of a high-profile individual. While the Special Investigation Team (SIT) mentioned a "VIP" in relation to a room, police maintained that the convictions were based on evidence against the three primary accused. However, Ankita’s parents have consistently alleged that powerful figures have been shielded from the investigation.
The family has strongly objected to Dushyant Gautam's appointment to a constitutional office, arguing that anyone whose name surfaced during the investigation should not be elevated to such a position without being fully cleared by central agencies.
National Outcry and Political Backlash
The unrest in Dehradun follows a separate incident in the national capital. In the early hours of Thursday, Delhi Police detained Ankita Bhandari's parents and several opposition leaders during a peaceful sit-in protest at India Gate. The parents were released later that morning.
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, slammed the government for the midnight crackdown on the grieving parents. In a post on X, Gandhi highlighted the cruelty of the timing, stating:
"4 AM in the morning. While the world was asleep, Ankita Bhandari's parents were taken into custody. Their crime? They were sitting quietly at India Gate... simply demanding that Dushyant Gautam should not be made the Governor of Sikkim until the CBI investigation is complete."
Rahul Gandhi added that he and Priyanka Gandhi had met the parents and accused the government of rushing the appointment of the Governor to silence those asking questions, vowing that the fight for justice would continue.