Dushyant Kumar Gautam assumed office as the Governor of Sikkim at Lok Bhavan on Monday, facing intense protests and political backlash over unproven allegations linking him to the 2022 murder of Ankita Bhandari in Uttarakhand. While the resort owner and accomplices have already been convicted for the crime, opposition parties and the victim's family are demanding his appointment be revoked and calling for a transparent, court-monitored CBI investigation into the alleged VIP angle.

Dushyant Kumar Gautam assumed office as the Governor of Sikkim at Lok Bhavan on Monday, facing intense protests and political backlash over unproven allegations linking him to the 2022 murder of Ankita Bhandari in Uttarakhand. While the resort owner and accomplices have already been convicted for the crime, opposition parties and the victim's family are demanding his appointment be revoked and calling for a transparent, court-monitored CBI investigation into the alleged VIP angle.

Dushyant Kumar Gautam assumed office as the Governor of Sikkim at Lok Bhavan on Monday, facing intense protests and political backlash over unproven allegations linking him to the 2022 murder of Ankita Bhandari in Uttarakhand. While the resort owner and accomplices have already been convicted for the crime, opposition parties and the victim's family are demanding his appointment be revoked and calling for a transparent, court-monitored CBI investigation into the alleged VIP angle.

Dushyant Kumar Gautam was sworn in as the Governor of Sikkim at Lok Bhavan on Monday amid protests in Delhi and Dehradun against his appointment over allegations linking him to the 2022 murder of 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari in Uttarakhand.

The Congress and other parties have demanded that the BJP leader’s appointment be revoked. Gautam has been alleged to be the “VIP” who sought favours from Bhandari, though no incriminating evidence establishing his involvement has been reported. 

Protesters have demanded accountability and a fair investigation into the alleged VIP angle, which has come under renewed scrutiny amid an ongoing CBI probe.

On Sunday, Delhi Police detained several people, including Congress members, who staged a protest outside the Patiala House Court in the national capital. They demanded a transparent, court-monitored investigation into the murder.

“We demand that Dushyant Gautam’s appointment as Sikkim governor be revoked and that the CBI investigation into the Ankita Bhandari murder case be conducted under the direct supervision of the Chief Justice of India. The probe must be transparent and free from political or administrative interference,” a protester told PTI.

Ankita, who worked as a receptionist at the Vanantra Resort in Rishikesh, was killed on September 18, 2022. Her body was later recovered from the Chilla Barrage, triggering widespread outrage in Uttarakhand. Resort owner Pulkit Arya, son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya, and two accomplices were convicted in the case and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Last week, Ankita’s parents staged a sit-in at India Gate, demanding that Gautam’s appointment as Governor be withdrawn until the CBI concludes its investigation. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met the family to express their solidarity.