Former Uttarakhand CM Harish Rawat detained outside Lok Bhavan; says 'wanted to submit memorandum'

Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Harish Rawat was detained by police outside Lok Bhavan in Dehradun on Thursday as party leaders and workers gathered to protest against the appointment of BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam as Sikkim Governor amid renewed controversy surrounding the Ankita Bhandari murder case. The demonstration, attended by several senior Congress leaders, came hours after Delhi Police detained Ankita Bhandari's parents and opposition leaders during an overnight sit-in at India Gate, where protesters demanded that Gautam's appointment be put on hold pending the completion of a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry.

Rawat maintained that the Congress delegation had not intended to stage a demonstration outside Lok Bhavan and had assembled only to submit a memorandum expressing concern over the appointment. Congress leaders, including Harak Singh Rawat and Pritam Singh, joined party workers outside the premises, where slogans were raised before police intervened.

𝗥𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘁 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗼𝗿'𝘀 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁

Speaking to reporters, the former Chief Minister said the delegation wanted to draw the attention of the authorities to public concerns surrounding Gautam's appointment. "We had no plans for any kind of protest; the only intention was to submit a memorandum," Rawat said. He claimed that people in Uttarakhand continued to have questions about the identity of an alleged influential person, frequently referred to as the "VIP", whose possible involvement has been raised in public discussions surrounding Ankita's murder.

Rawat alleged that Gautam's appointment to a constitutional position was inappropriate while questions raised by the victim's family remained unresolved. His remarks reflected the Congress's demand for a thorough investigation into the alleged VIP angle. The allegations against Gautam remain contested and should not be treated as established findings of the investigation. Following his detention, Rawat said the police had exercised their authority and that Congress leaders would decide their next course of action. He indicated that the party could formulate its strategy from a police station or jail if necessary, signalling that its campaign over the case would continue.

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗸 𝗕𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗻

The gathering outside Lok Bhavan saw Congress workers raising slogans and demanding accountability in the investigation into the 2022 murder. Among those present were Harak Singh Rawat and Pritam Singh, while Uttarakhand Congress president Ganesh Godiyal also participated in the protest. Police intervened as demonstrators assembled near the premises and detained several Congress leaders and workers.

The protest formed part of a broader political campaign opposing Gautam's appointment as Governor of Sikkim, which has become a fresh point of confrontation between the Congress and the BJP. The opposition has argued that the victim's family's concerns should be addressed before the appointment proceeds.

𝗔𝗻𝗸𝗶𝘁𝗮'𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗵𝗶

The developments in Dehradun followed a confrontation between police and protesters at India Gate in New Delhi early Thursday. Ankita Bhandari's parents, who had been participating in an overnight demonstration along with Congress leaders and supporters, were briefly detained by Delhi Police and subsequently released. The protesters were demanding that Gautam's appointment be withheld until the CBI completed its investigation into allegations concerning the murder.

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, who had joined the family's protest on Wednesday along with Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, criticised the police action. In a social media post, Gandhi accused the government of attempting to silence those seeking answers in the case and said the Congress would continue supporting the family. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also condemned the detentions, accusing the government of disregarding the family's demand for justice.

𝗠𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲

Ankita Bhandari, a 19-year-old receptionist employed at a resort near Rishikesh, was murdered in September 2022. Her body was subsequently recovered from the Chilla canal. The murder triggered widespread protests across Uttarakhand and raised questions about women's safety, political influence and the handling of criminal investigations. Resort owner Pulkit Arya, son of expelled BJP leader Vinod Arya, and two employees, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta, were arrested in connection with the murder. On May 30, 2025, a court in Kotdwar sentenced all three to life imprisonment.

Despite the convictions, Ankita's parents have continued to demand answers about the alleged involvement of an influential individual, referred to in discussions about the case as a VIP. The family has maintained that the identity of this person should be established through a comprehensive investigation. Gautam has denied allegations linking him to the case and has pursued defamation action against his accusers.

𝗕𝗝𝗣 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗨𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗸𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁'𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

The BJP has defended the Pushkar Singh Dhami government's handling of the murder case, pointing to the arrests, investigation, prosecution and life sentences awarded to the three convicted men. The party has accused the Congress of politicising the tragedy, while maintaining that the state administration acted to secure justice for the victim.

However, the victim's family and opposition leaders have continued to press for clarity on the alleged VIP connection. With protests taking place in both Dehradun and New Delhi, the controversy over Gautam's gubernatorial appointment has brought questions surrounding the Ankita Bhandari case back into the political spotlight.