Who Was Ankita Bhandari? Why Her Parents Are Protesting Against BJP Leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam’s Appointment As Sikkim Governor
Ankita Bhandari’s parents protested near Delhi’s India Gate on October 14, demanding a stay on BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam’s appointment as Sikkim governor until the alleged VIP angle in their daughter’s 2022 murder is investigated. Ankita, 19, was found dead in a canal after going missing. Three men were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in May 2025
Who Was Ankita Bhandari? Why Her Parents Are Protesting Against BJP Leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam’s Appointment As Sikkim Governor |
The parents of Ankita Bhandari, a 19-year-old receptionist who was murdered in Uttarakhand in September 2022, staged a protest near India Gate in New Delhi on Wednesday, October 14, demanding a stay on BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam’s appointment as Sikkim governor. The family wants his appointment put on hold until the investigation into the alleged VIP connection in their daughter’s murder is completed.
Police detained Ankita’s parents during the protest and released them around 5 am on Thursday, October 15. Her father has given the Centre 24 hours to cancel Gautam’s appointment, warning of a nationwide agitation if their demand is not met.
Gautam, who was appointed governor on October 12, has denied the allegations and initiated defamation proceedings against those accusing him of being linked to the case.
Who Was Ankita Bhandari And What Happened To Her?
Ankita Bhandari worked as a receptionist at Vanantra Resort near Rishikesh in Uttarakhand. She went missing on September 18, 2022, and her body was recovered from the Chilla canal five days later.
Police arrested resort owner Pulkit Arya, son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya, along with resort manager Saurabh Bhaskar and assistant manager Ankit Gupta.
In December 2022, Uttarakhand Police filed a 500-page chargesheet alleging that Ankita was murdered after refusing to provide “special services” to VIP clients. The Kotdwar Sessions Court framed charges against the three accused in March 2023.
After examining 47 prosecution witnesses, the court concluded the trial in May 2025. On May 29-30, 2025, all three men were convicted and sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment.
What Is The Alleged VIP Angle In The Case?
The alleged VIP connection has remained a major point of contention in the case. A 2022 report by Frontline referred to a VIP to whom Ankita was allegedly being forced to provide “special services”. It also cited Deputy Inspector General P Renuka Devi as saying that the resort had a ‘presidential suite’ intended for VIP guests.
Actor Urmila Sanawar, who appeared before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) earlier this year, alleged that the VIP was a senior state BJP leader.
Gautam’s name has subsequently been raised by Ankita’s family and activists in connection with the alleged VIP angle. He has denied the accusations.
In January 2026, renewed demands for a CBI probe under Supreme Court supervision prompted Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to announce further investigation. The Uttarakhand High Court denied the three convicts interim relief, suspension of sentence and bail on June 30, 2026.
Ankita’s parents are now demanding that Gautam’s appointment be put on hold until the CBI investigation into the alleged VIP connection is completed. Their latest protest has renewed calls for accountability and a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding their daughter’s murder.
Who was Ankita Bhandari?
Ankita Bhandari was a 19-year-old receptionist at Vanantra Resort near Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. She went missing on September 18, 2022, and her body was recovered from the Chilla canal five days later.
Why are Ankita Bhandari’s parents protesting?
Her parents are demanding a stay on BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam’s appointment as Sikkim governor until the alleged VIP connection in the murder case is investigated. They have warned of a nationwide agitation if their demand is not met.
What happened to the accused in the Ankita Bhandari murder case?
Resort owner Pulkit Arya, manager Saurabh Bhaskar and assistant manager Ankit Gupta were convicted of Ankita’s murder in May 2025 and sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment.
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