The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case in the alleged murder of Ankita Bhandari, a receptionist at Uttarakhand’s Vanantara Resort, and taken over the investigation from the Uttarakhand police after public outcry.
State Chief Minister, Pushkar Singh Dhami, had recommended a CBI inquiry after public and media backlash into the police’s sloppy investigation as well as the deceased’s parents’ demand of an inquiry under the supervision of a Supreme Court judge.
Bhandari was allegedly murdered by resort owner Pulkit Arya, son of an expelled BJP leader, and two of his employees, in 2022. Her body was recovered from the Chilla canal in Rishikesh on September 24, 2022, followed by the arrest of Arya and his accomplices.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was then formed to investigate the matter. The post-mortem report stated the cause of Bhandari’s death as drowning, but also indicated that her body bore at least four to five injury marks, although it ruled out sexual assault.
The investigation cited Bhandari’s murder cause to her refusal to offer “extra services” to VIPs in the state, alluding to sexual favours, as per a newspaper report.
More recently, a woman named Urmila Sanawar, an actress who claims to be the wife of a legislator, alleged the involvement of a VIP in the murder. She also released videos and audio recordings on social media that purportedly contained conversations of an MLA in connection with the murder.
Ankita’s father insisted upon an independent inquiry to unveil the VIPs involved in the racket and his daughter’s murder. This was followed by Dhami saying separate FIRs had been registered in reference to the video and audio clips, and that an investigation is underway.
On January 4, workers from the Congress, the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal, Mahila Manch, leftist parties and other organisations gathered at the Parade Ground and marched toward the chief minister’s residence, demanding that the case be transferred to the CBI to disclose the identity of the alleged “VIP” involved in the crime.
Also Read: Ankita murder: FIR filed to identify 'VIPs'; MLAs meet CM
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