Dehradun

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday said the state government has recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the 2022 Ankita Bhandari murder case, keeping in view the sentiments of her parents and the hardships they have endured since losing their daughter.

Speaking to ANI in Dehradun, Dhami said he had personally met Ankita’s parents and assured them of the government’s commitment to ensuring justice.

“I met Ankita Bhandari’s parents. They have lost their daughter and faced immense difficulties. Respecting their sentiments, the state government has recommended a CBI inquiry into the case,” the Chief Minister said.

Earlier this week, Dhami met Ankita’s father, Virendra Singh Bhandari, and mother, Soni Devi, at the Chief Minister’s residence in Dehradun. During the meeting, the bereaved parents shared their concerns and emotional distress related to the case.

According to an official statement from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), Dhami listened to the family with sensitivity and assured them that the state government stands firmly with them. He reiterated that delivering justice in the matter remains the government’s top priority.

The Chief Minister also assured the family of all possible support and positive action on the demands raised by them.

Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court recently restrained several parties, including the Indian National Congress (INC) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), from publishing or circulating social media content allegedly linking Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam to the Ankita Bhandari murder case, after observing that a prima facie case of defamation had been made out.

Ankita Bhandari, a 19-year-old receptionist at a resort in Uttarakhand, was found dead in a canal in September 2022. The case had triggered widespread outrage after allegations surfaced that she was being pressured to provide sexual favours to guests at the resort.

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A trial court later convicted Pulkit Arya, the son of a former BJP leader, along with two others, and sentenced them to life imprisonment.