The CBI questioned former BJP MLA Suresh Rathore at a guest house in Haridwar on Saturday, a day after Ankita Bhandari’s parents met senior agency officials.
The parents sought narco-analysis tests on Rathore and actor Urmila Sanawar, citing a recently viral audio recording that allegedly refers to the involvement of a senior BJP leader.
They also urged the Centre to put Dushyant Kumar Gautam’s appointment as Sikkim Governor on hold until the CBI examines the alleged VIP angle in the case.
CBI Questions Ex-BJP MLA Suresh Rathore Amid Parents’ Push For Narco-tests In Ankita Bhandari Case
The questioning comes a day after Ankita Bhandari’s parents met the CBI Director and sought narco-tests on Rathore and actor Urmila Sanawar over the alleged VIP angle in the 2022 murder case
Summary
The CBI on Saturday launched action in the Ankita Bhandari case, a day after her parents met senior CBI officials and pressed for narco-tests on former BJP legislator Suresh Rathore and actor Urmila Sanawar. A CBI team is questioning ex-BJP MLA Suresh Rathore at a guest house in Haridwar, reported ANI.
Ankita’s parents met senior CBI officers on Friday and sought narco-tests for Rathore and Sanawar. An officer who did not want to be named told Hindustan Times earlier, “Ankita’s parents also gave a letter demanding narco-tests on both Rathore and Sanawar saying their audio recording recently went viral and it had allegations of involvement of a senior BJP leader in the case.”
Ankita Bhandari was a 19-year-old resort receptionist whose body was found in Uttarakhand’s Pauri Garhwal in 2022. The latest CBI move comes as her parents also seek a pause on Dushyant Kumar Gautam’s appointment until the agency examines what they describe as the alleged VIP angle in the case.
Parents' CBI Meeting
The parents met the CBI Director on Friday. Lok Sabha MP Anil Baluni was present at the meeting, according to Hindustan Times.
“Our primary demand was that, given that Dushyant Kumar Gautam’s name has surfaced in connection with the case involving my daughter, Ankita Bhandari, he should not be administered the oath of office as a Governor or in any other official capacity until narco-analysis tests are conducted on Suresh Rathore and Urmila Sanawar,” Virendra Singh Bhandari told ANI.
Virendra Singh Bhandari is Ankita Bhandari’s father. His demand links the parents’ push for narco-tests with their request that Gautam should not take oath in any official role until those tests are conducted.
Sit-in And Detention
The protest began earlier in Delhi. Ankita Bhandari’s parents were detained from India Gate while staging a sit-in against the appointment of former Uttarakhand BJP in-charge Dushyant Kumar Gautam as the Governor of Sikkim.
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They want that appointment kept on hold until the CBI completes its probe into the alleged VIP angle in the case. That demand has now been repeated before the agency’s top officers.
“Dushyant Kumar should go to jail...because of the VIP my daughter was murdered,” Ankita’s father earlier told media.
Gautam held charge as the BJP’s Uttarakhand in-charge from November 2020 to August 2026. His name, the family said, has surfaced in connection with the case.
He was appointed Sikkim’s Governor earlier this week. That appointment has now become the focus of the family’s protest and representation before the CBI.
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