Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi Protest At India Gate With Parents Of Uttarakhand Murder Victim Ankita Bhandari

In another surprise protest against the BJP government, Rahul Gandhi sat on a dharna at the India Gate lawns on Wednesday evening, with the parents of Uttarakhand murder victim Ankita Bhandari, against the appointment of Dushyant Kumar Gautam as Sikkim governor despite his name cropping up in the September 2022 case. Gautam is not named in any chargesheet yet, but Bhandari's parents allege he is the "VIP" mentioned in the case recently.

The case involves allegations that the 19-year-old, who worked as a receptionist, was murdered for refusing sexual favours to guests at the resort run by Pulkit Arya, the son of a former BJP leader, in Rishikesh. The case, in which three men have been sentenced to life in jail by a local court, gained renewed attention after an FIR was registered against an unidentified "VIP" in January 2026, following allegations and viral audio and video clips referring to such a VIP.

READ | Why Congress Is Up In Arms Against Appointment Of New Sikkim Governor Dushyant Gautam

The parents were already protesting, and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, along with his sister and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, joined them on the lawns by the road that encircles India Gate for some time. Other Congress leaders were there thereafter too.

Rahul has been leading protests against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government for over a week now over alleged electoral fraud.

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VIDEO | Ankita Bhandari murder case: Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) met parents of victim staging protest at India Gate in Delhi. Parents of 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari, who was murdered at a resort in Uttarakhand in 2022, staged a protest near the India Gate on Wednesday, demanding that Dushyant Kumar Gautam's appointment as Sikkim governor be put on hold until the ongoing CBI investigation into the case is complete. (Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/bIyFWTfmBd) #Delhi #IndiaGate #AnkitaBhandari

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 14, 2026

Rahul later posted on X: "For four years, Ankita Bhandari's family has not received justice, but a 'VIP' accused has certainly been rewarded with protection and a constitutional position. Where rapists and murderers are welcomed with garlands and criminals are honoured with the power of authority, no hope can be expected from such a misogynistic BJP either. Today, Ankita's parents, carrying the plea for justice for their daughter, are sitting at India Gate, miles away from their home. I and the Congress Party stand with them - in their grief as well as in this fight for justice."

In Ankita Bhandari's alleged murder, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took up the case after Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami recommended a federal agency probe on January 9, 2026. The CBI has since taken custody of records related to the case, including the Special Investigation Team report, the police FIR, and other documents.

On Monday, Dushyant Gautam, a former BJP national general secretary and former president of the party's Scheduled Castes Morcha, was appointed Governor of Sikkim. A day later, on Tuesday, the Congress protested against the appointment. The BJP, in turn, pointed out the case of Congress MP A Bimol Akoijam, who was dismissed by Jawaharlal Nehru University over allegations of sexual harassment of 11 female students following an inquiry under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) framework.

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Uttarakhand Congress chief Ganesh Godiyal on Tuesday announced a one-hour silent fast in Dehradun to protest the appointment of Dushyant Gautam. Godiyal alleged that the appointment was a direct attempt to save Gautam, as no case can be registered against a Governor. He further alleged that the CBI probe had made no progress. "The investigation has not advanced even an inch, and the CBI has not filed any FIR against the named accused. Appointing such a person to the post of Governor is highly objectionable," he said.

Congress state in-charge Kumari Selja also took to social media to question the decision to appoint Gautam as governor. "The BJP government has appointed the very VIP - whose name is being cited by Ankita Bhandari's parents as they plead for justice for their daughter - to a constitutional post like that of a Governor. Ideally, the CBI investigation should have proceeded rapidly, and an FIR should have been registered against the named accused; instead, the BJP government appointed him Governor," Selja said.

Uttarakhand BJP government sources said on Wednesday that "prompt action, impartial investigation, effective prosecution and assistance to the victim's family" have been provided. "Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami made it clear from the outset that women's safety and tough action against criminals are the government's priorities. In the same vein, police were directed to take immediate action. Within 24 hours of the incident, the accused were arrested and sent to jail. An SIT was constituted to probe the case in depth. Under the judicial process, the convicts were sentenced to life imprisonment. This verdict was based on the evidence presented by the court and the legal process," added an official. The official noted that government lawyers were also changed, and when Ankita's parents demanded a CBI probe, the chief minister ordered it.