From Delhi to Dehradun, Congress intensifies protests seeking fair probe in Ankita Bhandari murder case
Several people were reportedly detained outside Delhi's Patiala House Court on Sunday after a crowd, including Congress leaders, held a protest demanding a transparent and monitored investigation in the 2022 murder of Ankita Bhandari.
The protesters were later detained by Delhi Police, news agency ANI reported.
Fresh row in Ankita Bhandari murder case
Ankita, a 19-year-old receptionist at a resort in Uttarakhand was found dead near Rishikesh in September 2022. Protests demanding justice reignited following the appointment of BJP leader Dushyant Gautam as Sikkim governor amid the ongoing CBI investigation into the alleged 'VIP' angle in the murder case.
Gautam's appointment has triggered fresh row, with opposition parties alleging that he was the 'VIP' whose role is under scrutiny in the case, though allegations have not been established.
The Congress also held a candle march in Dehradun, Uttarakhand on Saturday to protest the appointment of BJP's Gautam as Sikkim governor, alleging that it raises questions amid a CBI investigation into the alleged 'VIP' angle in the 2022 murder of Ankita Bhandari.
The march, led by Congress general secretary and state in-charge Kumari Selja and state unit president Ganesh Godiyal, began at the state party headquarters on Rajpur Road, passed through Ghantaghar and returned to the starting point, news agency PTI reported.
Former chief minister Harish Rawat, Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly Yashpal Arya, and other leaders of the Uttarakhand Congress, including Mahila Congress president Jyoti Rautela, and several legislators and former MLAs participated in the march.
Congress' student wing National Students' Union of India (NSUI) also organised a candle march in Delhi demanding justice for Ankita Bhandari and questioned the appointment of a person with a pending investigation as Sikkim Governor.
The protest march was led by NSUI national president Vinod Jakhar amid heavy security presence. He questioned the BJP's claims of women's empowerment and its commitment to women's safety and dignity, the organisation's statement said.
Raising concerns over the appointment of a person -- against whom an investigation is still underway -- as Governor of Sikkim, Jakhar said, "The way the BJP speaks about 'Nari Vandan', the daughters of this country are watching, and the entire country is witnessing how you are appointing someone as a Governor when an investigation against him is still underway."
Ongoing CBI probe and ‘VIP’ role
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against unknown persons to investigate the alleged role of a 'VIP' in the murder.The CBI probe was ordered by Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami in January this year on the demand of Ankita's parents after audio and video clips purportedly indicating the involvement of a 'VIP' circulated on social media.
The clips were circulated by actress Urmila Sanawar, who has claimed to be the wife of former BJP MLA Suresh Rathore.
On Sunday, a team of CBI officials arrived at the residence of Urmila Sanawar in connection with the Ankita Bhandari case, news agency ANI reported. Ankita was murdered by resort owner Pulkit Arya and two of his employees, all of whom have been sentenced to life imprisonment.
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