Ankita Bhandari Murder Case: From 2022 Tragic Crime To High-Profile Protests Over Sikkim Governor Posting

The murder of 19-year-old receptionist Ankita Bhandari at an isolated resort near Rishikesh in 2022 remains one of Uttarakhand’s most high-profile criminal cases. Over four years later, her parents have taken their fight for justice to the streets of New Delhi, staging protests against the appointment of BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam as the Governor of Sikkim.

Here is the complete narrative tracing the tragic circumstances of her death, the judicial outcome, and the specific legal reasons driving her family's protest.

The 2022 Resort Crime And Judicial Outcome

Ankita Bhandari worked as a receptionist at the Vanantara Resort in Uttarakhand’s Pauri Garhwal district. On September 18, 2022, she went missing from the resort premises. Six days later, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) recovered her body from the Chilla canal near Rishikesh. Post-mortem reports concluded that she died due to drowning following blunt force trauma.

Investigations revealed that prior to her death, Ankita was being pressured by the resort owner and staff to provide "special services" (sexual favors) to guests. WhatsApp chat records retrieved during the investigation documented her resisting these demands, explicitly stating that she would not compromise her dignity for money.

In May 2025, a court in Kotdwar convicted the primary accused—resort owner Pulkit Arya (son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya) alongside resort staff members Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta—sentencing all three to life imprisonment for murder and destruction of evidence.

The Unresolved "VIP Angle" And CBI Probe

While the 2025 conviction established the direct criminal liability of the three perpetrators, internal resort communications surfaced during trial referencing an unidentified "VIP" guest for whom the pressure was allegedly exerted.

Amid mounting public demand to establish whether any influential figures were involved, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe in early 2026. The CBI’s Special Crime Branch subsequently registered a case to examine all unverified leads surrounding the "VIP" aspect of the crime.

Unsubstantiated Claims And Delhi High Court Restraint Order

In late 2025 and early 2026, political opposition parties and social media handles began publicly linking senior BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam to the unverified "VIP" allegations.

Gautam strongly denied all allegations, calling them completely baseless, politically motivated, and defamatory. He immediately filed a civil defamation lawsuit in the Delhi High Court.

On January 7, 2026, the Delhi High Court passed an interim injunction directing political entities, including the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party, as well as social media platforms, to remove all posts linking Gautam to the Ankita Bhandari murder case. The High Court strictly restrained all parties from publishing or making further unverified claims against Gautam while the matter remains pending before the court.

Why Her Parents Are Protesting Now

On October 12, 2026, Rashtrapati Bhavan issued a notification appointing Dushyant Kumar Gautam as the Governor of Sikkim.

Following this announcement, Ankita’s parents, Virendra Singh Bhandari and Soni Devi, traveled to New Delhi and staged an overnight sit-in protest near India Gate. Their objection is centered on constitutional procedure rather than a proven court verdict:

• Constitutional Protection Under Article 361: Under Article 361 of the Constitution of India, a serving Governor enjoys absolute immunity from criminal proceedings, summons, or arrest in any court during their term of office.

• Impact On Ongoing Investigation: Ankita’s parents express apprehension that if any individual whose name has surfaced in connection with the case assumes gubernatorial office, constitutional immunity would legally prevent the CBI from questioning or investigating them until their term ends.

• Demands Presented To Rashtrapati Bhavan: The parents appealed to President Droupadi Murmu to stay or pause the official oath-taking until the CBI completes its investigation into the "VIP angle" and submits its final status report.

Delhi Police briefly detained the family and supporting opposition leaders early Thursday morning for violating Section 163 of the BNSS in the central security zone before releasing them at dawn. The family has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the Union government to halt the gubernatorial appointment.