Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday met the parents of murdered Uttarakhand receptionist Ankita Bhandari at India Gate, where they were protesting against the appointment of BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam as Sikkim Governor.
The Congress leaders expressed solidarity with the family, which has demanded that Gautam's appointment be put on hold until the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) completes its probe into the alleged involvement of an unidentified VIP in the September 2022 murder.
Bhandari's parents have alleged Gautam's involvement in the case and questioned the decision to appoint him to a constitutional position while the investigation remains underway. The allegations against Gautam have not been established in court.
Gautam was appointed Governor of Sikkim on Monday, triggering renewed objections from the family, which has been demanding a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding their daughter's death.
๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ต๐๐น, ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ธ๐ฎ ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐
Rahul Gandhi, accompanied by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other Congress leaders, met the protesting parents and listened to their concerns over the progress of the investigation.
The meeting marked another public expression of support by the Congress leadership for the family, which has continued its campaign for justice more than four years after Bhandari's murder.
Gandhi had earlier met the parents in August and questioned why they were still seeking answers despite the passage of several years.
He had described the killing as an unforgivable crime and expressed concern that the family continued to struggle for what it considered complete justice.
Wednesday's meeting came as the parents renewed their demand for an investigation into the alleged VIP connection, which has remained a contentious aspect of the case.
๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ถ๐น๐ ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ผ๐ฟ'๐ ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐
The parents staged their demonstration near India Gate after Gautam's appointment as Sikkim Governor.
They demanded that the appointment be suspended until the CBI completes its investigation, arguing that the allegations concerning the case must be examined thoroughly.
The family has alleged that Gautam was connected to the circumstances surrounding Bhandari's murder, although no judicial finding has established his involvement.
Their demand focuses on ensuring that the ongoing investigation is completed before Gautam assumes the constitutional office.
The controversy has brought renewed political attention to a case that previously triggered widespread protests in Uttarakhand over allegations of political influence and attempts to shield an unidentified influential individual.
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ป๐ธ๐ถ๐๐ฎ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ?
Ankita Bhandari worked as a receptionist at the Vanantra Resort near Rishikesh in Uttarakhand.
She was murdered on September 18, 2022, and her body was recovered from the Chilla canal four days later.
The killing sparked widespread public outrage, with protesters demanding accountability and a thorough investigation into the circumstances leading to her death.
Resort owner Pulkit Arya, son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya, and two of his accomplices were subsequently prosecuted in connection with the murder.
All three were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Despite the convictions, Bhandari's family has maintained that important questions surrounding the case remain unanswered.
๐๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ด๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐น๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฐ๐๐
One of the most disputed aspects of the case has been the allegation that an unidentified VIP was linked to the circumstances surrounding Bhandari's murder.
The allegation attracted considerable attention during the initial investigation and became a central issue in protests demanding justice.
Bhandari's parents and several activists have repeatedly sought a comprehensive investigation into the alleged VIP connection, arguing that the conviction of the three accused should not prevent investigators from examining other possible links.
The ongoing CBI investigation has consequently assumed importance for the family, which believes that further scrutiny is necessary to establish the complete sequence of events.
The allegation concerning the VIP connection remains a matter for investigation and has not been established as a judicial finding.
๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฝ๐ผ๐น๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐น๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐
The latest protest has revived political debate over the handling of the murder case and the family's continuing demand for answers.
The Congress leadership's decision to meet the parents at India Gate has added political visibility to their objections to Gautam's appointment.
The case has remained a sensitive issue in Uttarakhand, where the murder prompted demonstrations by residents, students and civil society organisations.
Although three men have been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment, the family continues to press for a wider investigation into the alleged involvement of influential individuals.
With the CBI probe still underway, the parents have demanded that their concerns be addressed before Gautam's appointment as Governor of Sikkim proceeds.
Wednesday's demonstration underscored the family's determination to pursue the unresolved allegations surrounding their daughter's murder, even after the conviction of those directly prosecuted for the crime.