State Govt ready for any probe in Ankita Bhandari case, says CM Dhami

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday said the Uttarakhand Government is prepared for any investigation into the Ankita Bhandari murder case, adding that a final decision would be taken only after consulting her parents and following their wishes. Opposition parties have been holding protests, demanding a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the matter.

Speaking to reporters, Dhami noted that the people of the State have expressed their views with sensitivity, and Ankita’s parents remain the most affected.

“I will speak with her parents as the chief servant of the state. After discussing the matter with them and studying the legal aspects, we will proceed in accordance with their wishes to ensure justice for their daughter,” the Chief Minister said.

The Congress and various social organisations have been demanding a CBI inquiry to identify a ‘VIP’ allegedly linked to the case.

In 2022, 19-year-old Ankita, a receptionist at the Vanantra Resort in Pauri district, was murdered. The resort owner, Pulkit Arya, and two employees, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta, were subsequently arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment by a sessions court for the crime.

The case returned to the spotlight recently after actress Urmila Sanawar, who claims to be the wife of former MLA Suresh Rathore, shared audio recordings on social media. In the clips, Sanawar alleged that the ‘VIP’ mentioned in the case is a BJP leader known as ‘Gattu’. She disclosed the full name of the person in a video, sparking a political row in the State.