Uttarakhand: Additional Director General of Police (Crime and Law & Order), Uttarakhand, Dr. V. Murugesan, briefed the media on the investigation and judicial proceedings in the Ankita Bhandari murder case at a press conference held at Police Headquarters, Dehradun, on Thursday.
Dr. Murugesan stated that the Uttarakhand Police acted promptly in the tragic incident involving late Ankita Bhandari, who was employed at Vanantara Resort near Rishikesh in 2022. Through coordinated efforts, police teams arrested all three accused within 24 hours of the incident coming to light.
The Additional Director General of Police stated that, considering the seriousness and sensitivity of the case, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted immediately on the directions of Chief Minister Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami. A woman IPS officer of DIG rank was appointed as the head of the SIT to ensure a thorough and effective investigation.
He explained that during the investigation, the SIT meticulously collected digital, technical, forensic and physical evidence. In addition, all crucial evidence, including detailed interrogations of the accused, forensic reports and witness statements, was thoroughly examined and analysed. The SIT completed the investigation within 88 days and submitted a detailed chargesheet of approximately 500 pages before the court.
Dr. Murugesan further stated that the Uttarakhand Government took the necessary steps to ensure expeditious judicial proceedings and effective prosecution. On the basis of the substantial evidence collected by the SIT and effective arguments presented by the prosecution, the Additional District and Sessions Court in Kotdwar, on May 30, 2025, convicted all three accused—Pulkit Arya, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta—and sentenced them to rigorous imprisonment for life. All three convicts are currently in jail, serving their life sentences.
