The detention of the parents of Ankita Bhandari, who was murdered in Uttarakhand in 2022, has shed light on the case again. Ankita was found dead in September 2022 while working as a receptionist at the Vanantara Resort near Rishikesh.
According to the prosecution, Ankita was allegedly pressured to provide "special services" to a guest at the resort. She resisted, which triggered a dispute between her and the owner, Pulkit Arya, son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya, resulting in Ankita’s murder. Six days later, on September 24, her body was recovered from the Chilla Canal.
The court convicted Arya, manager Saurabh Bhaskar, and assistant manager Ankit Gupta to life sentences for Ankita’s murder.
However, Ankita’s parents have alleged that there was a “VIP angle” to the case. The allegations are that senior BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam was involved in the case. They have been demanding that the Centre put on hold Gautam’s appointment as the governor of Sikkim.
Ankita’s parents while protesting near India Gate against Dushyant Kumar Gautam's appointment as Sikkim governor while they were detained on Wednesday. They were released on Thursday at 5 am.
Gautam, a senior BJP leader from Delhi, has denied the accusations and initiated defamation proceedings against them.
The controversy surrounding the alleged role of VIPs in Ankita's murder intensified after videos and an alleged audio clip surfaced on social media in December 2025. Urmila Sanawar, who claims to be the wife of former BJP MLA Suresh Rathore, released videos alleging that Ankita was under pressure to provide special services to an influential person.
The mention of a VIP and alleged conversations raised questions about the identity of this individual. Some people linked the name to BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam. This led to protests in Uttarakhand and demands for a fresh investigation, following which Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami recommended a CBI investigation.
However, the authenticity of the claims in these videos and audios has been disputed. Former MLA Suresh Rathore claimed the alleged recordings were created using AI.
The court, finding a prima facie case of defamation, restrained the defendants from posting or disseminating any material that suggests Gautam is a VIP in the Ankita case. It also granted a 24-hour order to remove the specified material.
Congress backs Bhandari family
The Congress on Thursday lashed out at the Modi government over the detention of the parents of Ankita Bhandari, saying this is the "height of cowardice and insensitivity".
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the government of carrying out "state-sponsored oppression", saying it is not a sign of its strength, but rather proof of its attempt to evade difficult questions. "The height of cowardice and insensitivity from the Modi government! Ankita Bhandari's parents, who were seeking justice, have been taken into custody, while a BJP-linked 'VIP' is rewarded with a governorship!" Kharge said in his post in Hindi on X.
"This act of state-sponsored oppression is not a sign of the government's strength, but rather proof of its attempt to evade difficult questions. Treating parents who have lost their daughter in such a manner is utterly shameful and condemnable," he said.
The Congress party will continue to fight to ensure justice for Ankita, Kharge asserted.
