Ex-BJP MLA arrested over clip linked to Ankita Bhandari case

Former BJP MLA Suresh Rathore has been arrested in connection with a probe into a viral audio-video clip related to the alleged naming of a ‘VIP’ in the Ankita Bhandari murder case, police said on Monday.

Superintendent of Police (City) Pramod Kumar said that Rathore was detained from his office in Buggawala, Haridwar, and brought to the Dalanwala police station in Dehradun before being formally placed under arrest.

The development follows a press conference held by Rathore three days ago, where he had stated that the Uttarakhand High Court had quashed two of the four FIRs registered against him at the Bahadrabad and Jhabrera police stations. The FIRs had been filed against Rathore over the alleged circulation of objectionable audio and video clips on social media related to the case.

Rathore had stated that investigations into the remaining two cases, registered at the Dalanwala and Nehru Colony police stations, were still underway, and asserted that he was fully cooperating with the authorities. The Uttarakhand High Court had on June 4 quashed two of the four FIRs filed against Rathore in the case.

A single bench of Justice Rakesh Thapliyal, however, had allowed the police investigation to continue in the remaining two FIRs. The complainants, Dushyant Gautam and Aarti Gaur, countered that the circulated material was deliberately aimed at tarnishing their reputation.

Gautam, BJP national general secretary and Uttarakhand in-charge, was allegedly identified by Rathore as the “VIP” in the clips made public in connection with the case.  Speaking to reporters in Haridwar on Friday, the former legislator had denied releasing any audio or video clips on social media or making remarks against senior party leaders or the chief minister.

Expressing regret if his statements had caused hurt, Rathore alleged that a conspiracy had been orchestrated to damage his political career. On Saturday, State Minister Deshraj Karnwal held a press conference, calling Rathore’s claims regarding the high court relief “misleading”.

Ankita Bhandari, a 19-year-old receptionist at a resort in Pauri district, went missing and was found dead in September 2022. The incident triggered widespread protests across Uttarakhand, leading to the arrest of three persons, including the resort owner, who were subsequently convicted for her murder.