Justice for Ankita Bhandari: Rahul and Priyanka support parents
Ankita's father has appealed to President Droupadi Murmu to halt Dushyant Gautam's appointment until the investigation is complete.
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, joined a protest at India Gate on Wednesday with the parents of Ankita Bhandari from Uttarakhand. His move has once again brought the case of the 19-year-old receptionist's murder in 2022 into national discussion. The family demands that the appointment of senior BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam as the Governor of Sikkim be halted until the ongoing CBI investigation into the case is completed.
Rahul Gandhi participated in the protest of Ankita Bhandari's parents at India Gate on Wednesday. Social activist Yogita Bhayana was also present with them.
Rahul Gandhi stated that,
“For four years, Ankita Bhandari's family has not received justice, but a ‘VIP’ accused has certainly received protection and a constitutional position. In a party like the anti-women BJP, which welcomes rapists and murderers with garlands and rewards criminals with the power of the state, no hope can be expected. Today, Ankita's parents are sitting at India Gate, miles away from their home, pleading for justice for their daughter. I and the Congress party stand with them - in their sorrow and in this fight for justice.”
This protest is being held against the appointment of Dushyant Gautam, the former BJP in-charge of Uttarakhand, as the Governor of Sikkim. Dushyant Gautam is accused of having a connection with the ‘VIP’ mentioned in the case of Ankita Bhandari's murder in 2022. He is accused not only of murder but also of rape.
Rahul Gandhi was accompanied by his sister and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with other party leaders.
Yogita Bhayana shared a picture of the protest on the social media platform X, in which she is seen with Ankita Bhandari's parents.
In her post, she wrote,
“We are still sitting on the protest at India Gate. The family demands an immediate halt to Dushyant Kumar Gautam's appointment until the CBI investigation is completed!”
Ankita's father, Virendra Bhandari, has appealed to President Droupadi Murmu to stop Gautam's appointment until the investigation is complete. The family alleges that a mysterious VIP played a role in the circumstances surrounding Ankita's murder and has named BJP leader Dushyant Gautam in their accusations. However, Gautam has denied these allegations and has initiated legal action for defamation against those making the claims.
This protest has emerged as a new development in a case where three individuals have already been convicted for Ankita's murder. The latest controversy centers on whether adequate investigation was conducted regarding the role of that VIP, who was accused of sexual misconduct against Ankita.
On Tuesday, the Uttarakhand Congress also protested against Gautam's appointment. The party alleged that the BJP has ignored the demand for accountability from the victim's family. Uttarakhand Congress President Ganesh Godiyal stated that,
This appointment has further increased the family's pain. He alleged that the BJP government at the Centre and in Uttarakhand has failed to act on the family's demand for an investigation into the VIP's role.
However, Mahendra Bhatt, President of the Uttarakhand BJP unit and Rajya Sabha MP, defended the government. He stated that the state government, led by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, has taken several important steps in the case, including the swift arrest of the accused, the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT), effective prosecution, and providing ₹25 lakh in financial assistance to the victim's family.
Ankita Bhandari worked as a receptionist at Vanantara Resort in Rishikesh. She was murdered on September 18, 2022. She had gone missing just 20 days after starting her job. The resort was operated by Pulkit Arya, the son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya. Six days after her disappearance, Ankita's body was recovered from a canal.
The investigation by the Uttarakhand police's Special Investigation Team (SIT) revealed that Ankita was being pressured to provide sexual services to guests at the resort, which she had resisted.
In May 2025, a court in Pauri Garhwal sentenced Pulkit Arya and his two associates, Ankit Gupta and Saurabh Bhaskar, to life imprisonment, establishing their criminal liability in the murder case, but the separate allegations related to the alleged VIP were not resolved.
Since the case emerged, questions have been raised regarding the VIP's involvement. During the trial, the prosecution cited messages indicating that Ankita was distressed by the demands for “additional services” being made of her at the resort and wanted to leave her job.
The family has continuously demanded that it should also be investigated whether anyone else was involved in the case apart from the three convicted individuals. In December 2025, the controversy intensified when Urmila Sanawar, claiming to be the wife of former BJP MLA Suresh Rathore, released some videos and an audio clip. Sanawar alleged that a senior leader known as “Gattu” was the VIP involved in the case.
The recordings accused Rathore of suggesting a connection between Gautam and these allegations. However, Rathore later claimed that the audio clip was created using artificial intelligence (AI). Gautam also rejected the allegations against him.
Earlier, the police SIT had stated that it found no evidence establishing the involvement of any influential leader in the murder. These allegations have also led to separate legal proceedings. In January 2026, Gautam filed a defamation suit against Sanawar, Rathore, the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party, and others. He alleged that these individuals wrongfully linked him to the murder case and tarnished his image.
Subsequently, the Delhi High Court directed the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party to remove social media posts linking Gautam to the case within 24 hours. In June 2026, Dehradun police arrested Rathore in connection with allegations of conspiring to falsely implicate Gautam in the case.
Amidst this entire sequence of events, Ankita's family demands a fair investigation into the alleged VIP's role and a halt to Dushyant Kumar Gautam's appointment as the Governor of Sikkim until the investigation is completed. The family asserts that until these questions are answered, the doubts surrounding the case will not be fully resolved.