The case of Ankita Bhandari, a young woman from Uttarakhand who was murdered in 2022, has once again come into the spotlight. Her parents were staging a protest at India Gate in New Delhi, demanding justice, when Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other party members arrived to extend their support. Delhi Police detained the protesters, while Ankita’s parents were later released.
Ankita’s parents were protesting against the appointment of former BJP national general secretary and former Uttarakhand BJP in-charge Dushyant Gautam as the Governor of Sikkim. They have alleged that Gautam is the “VIP” whose alleged involvement in the murder case has been the subject of controversy. What is Gautam’s alleged connection to the case?
What Happened In Delhi?
The parents of Ankita Bhandari, whose high-profile murder case has continued to raise questions over the alleged role of a “VIP”, staged a protest at India Gate in Delhi against the appointment of BJP leader Dushyant Gautam as the Governor of Sikkim.
They claim that Gautam is the “VIP” whose name surfaced during discussions surrounding the case. At the time of Ankita’s murder in September 2022, Gautam was the BJP’s Uttarakhand in-charge.
Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrived at India Gate at around 7.30 pm on Wednesday and met Ankita’s parents. They assured the family of their full support in its fight for justice.
After the meeting, Rahul Gandhi posted on X, alleging that the family had not received justice despite four years having passed since the incident.
Ankita Bhandari Murder Case
Ankita Bhandari was allegedly murdered on September 18, 2022. She worked as a receptionist at the Vanantara resort in Rishikesh. Her body was recovered from the Cheela canal on September 24, 2022.
A court has sentenced resort owner Pulkit Arya, manager Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta to life imprisonment in connection with the case.
The controversy resurfaced after certain audio and video clips went viral on social media. In December 2025, actress Urmila Sanawar, who claimed to be the wife of former BJP MLA Suresh Rathore, posted a video related to the Ankita Bhandari case on her social media account.
In these clips, Sanawar referred to the alleged involvement of a “VIP” in Ankita’s murder. She circulated purported audio and video recordings of conversations involving Rathore, in which it was claimed that Ankita was murdered because of a VIP referred to as “Gattu”.
Subsequently, the name was linked in public discussions to Dushyant Gautam, who was the BJP’s Uttarakhand in-charge at the time. It was also alleged that Ankita had been pressured to provide “extra services” to the VIP but had refused, following which she was murdered. These allegations have been the subject of controversy.
Following the circulation of the clips, Suresh Rathore appeared before the media and questioned their authenticity, describing the audio clips as AI-generated.
Dushyant Gautam also rejected the allegations and lodged a complaint at the Dalanwala police station in Dehradun on January 5, 2026. On January 7, he filed a defamation suit in the Delhi High Court, seeking relief against Urmila Sanawar, Suresh Rathore, the Congress functionaries concerned and entities associated with digital platforms.
Uttarakhand BJP Responds
Uttarakhand BJP president Mahendra Bhatt said the state government had taken action at every level in the Ankita Bhandari case and ensured an impartial investigation.
Bhatt said Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had made it clear from the beginning that women’s safety and strict action against offenders were the government’s top priorities.
“Accordingly, the police were directed to take immediate action. The accused were arrested and sent to jail within 24 hours of the incident coming to light,” he said.
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