Ankita bhandari case
Executive summary
Ankita Bhandari, a 19‑year‑old receptionist at Vanantra Resort near Rishikesh, was murdered in September 2022; three men — resort owner Pulkit Arya and two employees — were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in May 2025 [1][2]. The case remains politically volatile because of repeated public claims that a politically connected “VIP” demanded “special services” from Ankita and was the motive for her murder, a claim the police deny while opposition parties and activists continue to demand a fresh CBI probe [3][4][5].
1. What happened: disappearance, discovery and charges
Ankita went missing on September 18, 2022 after reporting pressure at work to provide “extra” services to a guest, and her body was recovered from the Chilla canal in Rishikesh six days later; police filed a detailed chargesheet and an SIT investigated the case [3][1]. The Kotdwar court convicted Pulkit Arya, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta under sections including murder and criminal conspiracy after a trial based on a 500‑page chargesheet and dozens of witnesses [1][3].
2. The verdict and sentences: punishment but not closure
In May 2025 the Additional District and Sessions Judge found the three men guilty and sentenced them to rigorous life imprisonment, a ruling the victim’s parents criticised as inadequate and said they would appeal seeking the death penalty [2][1]. The conviction ended the criminal trial against the identified accused but did not settle wider questions about the alleged involvement of an external, influential “VIP” that Ankita and others reportedly mentioned before her death [4].
3. The ‘VIP’ allegation: accusations, a viral clip, and who is making claims
The allegation that a VIP ordered “special services” from Ankita has been part of the original FIR and public narrative, and resurfaced recently after videos and audio posted by Urmila Sanawar — who claims to be the wife of former MLA Suresh Rathore — named a person called “Gattu” as the alleged VIP, igniting fresh controversy [3][5]. Media reports and local activists point to testimony and chats cited in the prosecution that Ankita was distressed by proposals to provide such services, but neither investigators nor the court publicly identified or prosecuted any external VIP [1][4].
4. Police, state government and courts: denials and procedural hurdles
Uttarakhand police officials have repeatedly said their investigation found no VIP involvement and that resort records and staff statements did not corroborate claims of a powerful patron’s role, while the state government says it would act if credible evidence surfaced; past petitions for a central probe were dismissed by the High Court and Supreme Court, according to government ministers and legal commentators [6][7][8][9]. Advocates note that a CBI probe requires either court direction or fresh admissible evidence, and some lawyers say pursuing a central inquiry now would need High Court intervention [9].
5. Politics, protests and public outrage: renewed mobilization
The case has fuelled sustained public anger and political mobilization across Uttarakhand — protests, marches to the chief minister’s residence, and demonstrations in Dehradun and New Delhi calling for a CBI probe and disclosure of the VIP’s identity — with opposition parties using the controversy to press for accountability and the state Congress reviving the issue politically [5][10][11][12]. Protesters and activists contend the demolition of parts of the resort, missing physical evidence and early mishandling signalled a potential cover‑up; officials counter that the court process was followed [12][7].
6. What remains unresolved: evidence gaps and institutional limits
While a conviction against three perpetrators exists, reporting shows persistent gaps: the identity and role of the alleged VIP remain publicly unproven, key items were reportedly not recovered from the resort, and courts have so far declined central intervention — meaning the central questions animating public distrust hinge on fresh, verifiable evidence that has not yet been placed before a competent court or investigative agency [1][4][9].
7. Bottom line
The Ankita Bhandari case produced criminal convictions for three men directly linked to her disappearance and murder, but it continues to be litigated politically and socially over allegations of a powerful external figure; police and courts say evidence for a VIP has not been found, while protesters, activists and some family members argue that justice is incomplete unless those broader allegations are credibly investigated [2][6][5].