Dehradun: Protesters demanding justice in the Ankita Bhandari murder case dismissed Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s meeting with her parents as a “cosmetic gesture”, and vowed to continue their agitation despite the government’s outreach.
Dhami, at the meeting this week, draped a shawl over Bhandari’s parents, and later announced renaming of the Government Nursing College Dobh (Shri Kot) in Pauri as ‘Late Ankita Bhandari Government Nursing College Dobh’.
“Our government stands firmly with the victim’s family. Legal, impartial and swift action is being advanced on the demands presented by them,” he said.
The visit came amidst renewed demonstrations across the state over allegations of a VIP’s involvement. Bhandari, a 19-year-old receptionist at a resort near Rishikesh, was killed in September 2022, and the resort’s owner, along with two associates, were convicted for the murder.
Protesters have called for a state-wide bandh on 11 January and warned of stepping up the agitation if the investigation is not revived.
“This cosmetic display by Dhami is not why we are protesting. We are protesting for justice. If the chief minister thinks this will pacify us, he is mistaken,” said activist Bhawana Pandey, one of the protesters spearheading the agitation.
Army veteran K.C. Thapliyal, also involved in the protests, said the case was “Uttarakhand’s very own Epstein file”.
“If exposed, it will reveal big names involved in the case,” he added.
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‘VIP angle’ fuels protests
The current wave of protests was triggered by an audio clip released by Urmila Sanawar, an actor who claims to have been married to former BJP MLA Suresh Rathore.
Sanawar said Rathore told her about “VIPs” being involved in the Bhandari case, and claimed it was a BJP leader. Her remarks and the purported clip galvanised Uttarakhand residents to renew their demand for justice and drew large numbers of protesters back to the streets.
“We are asking the government for a CBI probe under the supervision of a sitting judge to investigate the VIP angle. We want to know who the VIPs and VVIPs involved in the case were,” said Vimla, chairperson of the Uttarakhand Mahila Manch and another protester.
Sanawar alleged that Ankita was killed after she refused to provide “extra services” to a VIP leader referred to as “Gattu”. In another clip that Sanawar claims is a conversation between her and Rathore, she links BJP’s national general secretary and in-charge of Uttarakhand Dushyant Gautam to the murder case.
Rathore has dismissed the claims, calling them “AI-generated”.
Senior BJP leader Gautam, who denied the allegations, also filed a defamation complaint against three Opposition parties, Sanawar and Rathore in Dehradun earlier this week.
Two days ago, Chief Minister Dhami said Gautam was not in Uttarakhand at the time of Bhandari’s killing.
Family demands CBI probe
In a letter to the Chief Minister since the Sanawar claims, Bhandari’s father said his daughter was murdered because of a “VIP” but he has not yet learnt the identity of the person.
“I appeal to the government to have this case investigated by the CBI under the supervision of a Supreme Court judge to apprehend the VIP,” he said.
“The Chief Minister calling Ankita’s parents was done out of compulsion. He had to do it because public anger had taken a toll. But that will not distract us from our demand for justice,” Thapliyal said.
Murder, probe & the conviction
Ankita Bhandari, 19, was working as a receptionist at the Vanantra resort near Rishikesh when she was killed in September 2022. She had not even completed a month at work, when she was reported missing. Her body was found in a canal six days later.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by IPS officer Renuka Devi investigated the case. The team seized mobile phones, recreated the crime scene and carried out forensic analysis, which found that Ankita suffered blunt force trauma and was pushed into the Cheela Canal.
The SIT probe also found that the murder by the resort’s owner, Pulkit Arya – son of a former BJP leader – and his associates was the result of Ankita refusing to provide sexual services.
A 500-page chargesheet was filed on 30 January 2023, listing charges under Indian Penal Code sections 302 (murder), 354A (sexual harassment) and 201 (destruction of evidence), as well as the Gangsters Act.
In May last year, a Kotdwar court sentenced Arya and his two associates, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta, to life imprisonment for murder.
Rumours of VIP involvement had been rife since the beginning of the investigation. But after the conviction of the three accused, speculation had largely subsided before resurfacing following the recent audio leak.
“The case was probed thoroughly and yes, there was a mention of VIP, but it was a VIP room. This is what we gathered in the probe based on which the three accused were convicted,” said a senior police officer who was part of the investigation.
The Vanantra resort was partly demolished soon after the incident and has remained closed since.
The Opposition Congress joined recent protests and announced a “Nyay Yatra” to press for justice by mobilising people from across the state.
(Edited by Prerna Madan)
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