Ankita Bhandari case: Parents seek narco tests for former BJP MLA, actress at CBI meet

The parents of Ankita Bhandari, the 19-year-old receptionist murdered at a resort in Uttarakhand in 2022, have urged the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct narco-analysis tests on former BJP MLA Suresh Rathore and actress Urmila Sanawar as the agency investigates allegations of a possible “VIP” connection to the crime.

Ankita’s father, Virendra Singh Bhandari, and mother, Soni Devi, met senior CBI officials at the agency’s headquarters in New Delhi and shared information relating to various aspects of the case, a CBI spokesperson said.

The family also submitted a written request to the CBI director seeking narco tests on Rathore and Sanawar, according to sources close to the family. An audio recording purportedly referring to the involvement of a VIP in the murder had circulated on social media.

The CBI has registered a separate case against unknown persons to investigate the alleged role of a VIP. However, narco-analysis tests do not have direct evidentiary value in court.

CBI assures family of impartial investigation

During the meeting, CBI Special Directors Manoj Shashidhar and Sampat Meena assured Ankita’s parents that the investigation would be fair and impartial, with all aspects of the case examined thoroughly, the agency said.

BJP leader Anil Baluni, the Member of Parliament representing Uttarakhand’s Garhwal constituency, was also present during the meeting.

The CBI’s investigation follows renewed demands from Ankita’s family for a comprehensive inquiry into allegations that an influential individual may have been connected to the murder.

In its first information report (FIR), the agency noted that audio and video recordings circulating on social media alleged that unidentified individuals, described as “VIPs”, were involved in a crime linked to the case. The FIR also recorded claims that evidence may have been concealed or destroyed, despite the conviction of the individuals who carried out the murder.

Viral recordings fuel allegations of VIP involvement

The renewed calls for a deeper investigation followed recordings circulated by Sanawar, an actress who has claimed to be the wife of a legislator. She alleged that the recordings of conversations with Rathore pointed towards the involvement of a powerful individual in the murder.

The allegations prompted Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to recommend a CBI inquiry after Ankita’s parents demanded an investigation by the central agency under the supervision of a Supreme Court judge.

Ankita’s father has maintained that a VIP was involved in his daughter’s murder and that the person’s identity remains unknown. The allegations surrounding the recordings have intensified scrutiny of whether all aspects of the case were investigated.

In recent remarks, Virendra Singh Bhandari also questioned the timing of the CBI investigation and called for the agency to examine technical evidence, including call detail records linked to the period surrounding the murder. These remain demands and allegations made by the family, rather than findings established by the CBI.

Murder conviction and renewed calls for justice

Ankita worked as a receptionist at the Vanantra Resort in Uttarakhand’s Pauri district. Her body was found near Rishikesh in September 2022 after she went missing.

Resort owner Pulkit Arya and two employees were convicted of her murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. The fresh CBI case concerns allegations of a wider VIP connection and claims that evidence may have been withheld or destroyed, rather than the guilt of the three convicted men.

The issue has returned to the political spotlight in recent days amid protests over the appointment of former Uttarakhand BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam as the Governor of Sikkim. Ankita’s parents have opposed the appointment and demanded that the alleged VIP angle be investigated thoroughly.

The family’s renewed campaign has also drawn support from Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who met Ankita’s parents during their protest at India Gate in Delhi. The parents were detained by Delhi Police during the demonstration and subsequently released.

The CBI’s inquiry is expected to examine the allegations surrounding the purported recordings and the claims of a VIP connection. The agency has not publicly established the identity of any such individual in connection with the murder.