Ankita Bhandari’s parents were released around 5 am after being detained during a protest near India Gate.
The family wants the appointment of BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam as Sikkim Governor put on hold pending the CBI probe into the alleged VIP angle.
Three men convicted in Ankita’s 2022 murder have been sentenced to life imprisonment, while allegations concerning an unidentified VIP remain unresolved.
Parents of 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari, who was murdered in Uttarakhand in 2022, were released early Thursday morning, hours after being detained while protesting near India Gate.
Police detained the parents during the protest and released them around 5 am, PTI reported.
Several Congress leaders, including party's media and publicity department head Pawan Khera, social media department head Supritya Shrinate and Indian Youth Congress chief Uday Bhanu Chib, were also detained and later released.
Why Are Ankita Bhandari’s Parents Protesting?
The parents have been demanding that Dushyant Kumar Gautam’s appointment as Sikkim governor be put on hold until the ongoing CBI investigation into the case is complete.
BJP leader Gautam's name has been repeatedly dragged into the case by Ankita's family and activists as the alleged VIP linked to it. He was appointed the governor of Sikkim on Monday, as per PTI.
Ankita’s father alleged that a VIP played a key role in his daughter’s murder and claimed that Gautam was the one responsible. The allegations against Gautam, however, remain unproven.
Gautam has denied the accusations and initiated defamation proceedings against them.
The Congress has claimed that the appointment was aimed at shielding Gautam, arguing that a governor cannot be subjected to criminal proceedings while holding office.
A former national general secretary of the BJP, Gautam had served as the party’s in-charge for Uttarakhand.
What Is The Status Of The 2022 Murder Case?
Ankita, who worked as a receptionist at the Vanantra Resort in Rishikesh, was killed on September 18, 2022.
Her body was recovered from the Chilla canal four days later. Resort owner Pulkit Arya, son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya, and two accomplices have been convicted in the case and sentenced to life imprisonment.
The case hogged the political spotlight over allegations that an unidentified VIP was linked to the crime. Ankita’s family and activists have demanded an investigation into the alleged VIP angle, with Gautam’s name being raised in connection with the allegations.
The CBI took up the investigation in 2026 following a recommendation by the Uttarakhand government. The renewed focus on the alleged VIP angle has prompted Ankita’s parents to seek further accountability and a pause in Gautam’s appointment until the probe is completed. The investigation’s findings will be crucial in determining whether any additional individuals should face legal action.
The controversy resurfaced after purported audio recordings circulated online in late 2025, renewing allegations about the identity of the VIP. The police Special Investigation Team (SIT) had earlier said it found no evidence establishing the involvement of an influential person in the murder. Gautam has denied the allegations and filed a defamation case against people and organisations accused of linking him to the crime.
