Dehradun: A state-wide bandh was observed against the state government probe into the Ankita Bhandari murder on Sunday, with protesters demanding a CBI investigation under the supervision of a sitting Supreme Court or high court judge in the case.
Allegations that a “VIP” allegedly involved in the 2022 murder of the 19-year-old receptionist is still at large have triggered a political storm in Uttarakhand and several political and social organisations have taken to the streets.
The Congress extended its support to the bandh on Sunday but police said the demonstrations had minimal impact.
Traffic and normal life remained largely unaffected in most areas as most commercial establishments and offices remained closed in the state as it was a Sunday.
Police said they made extensive preparations to maintain law and order, and additional police forces were deployed in markets and sensitive areas. On Friday, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami recommended a CBI inquiry into the murder case but the case has not officially been transferred to the central agency.
In 2022, 19-year-old Bhandari, a receptionist at the Vanantra Resort in Pauri district of Uttarakhand, was murdered. The resort owner, Pulkit Arya — who is the son of a former BJP leader — and two employees, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta, were subsequently arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment by a sessions court for the crime.
Allegations that a “VIP” was also behind the murder gained traction recently when Urmila Sanawar, a woman claiming to be the wife of former MLA Suresh Rathore, claimed the involvement of a “VIP” in the murder. The opposition Congress and other organisations began demanding a CBI probe into the case in light of the new allegations.
Last week, the Uttarakhand government defended the SIT probe and said that while it was ready for any investigation, the recent allegations hint at a political conspiracy.
Meanwhile, Bhandari’s parents met the chief minister on January 7, demanding a CBI investigation under the supervision of a Supreme Court judge. In a letter to the CM, Bhandari’s father said that his daughter was murdered because of a “VIP” whose identity is still unknown.
Two days later, the Uttarakhand government recommended an inquiry by the federal agency, with Dhami asserting that no fact or evidence linked to the case will be overlooked. Uttarakhand Police on Saturday filed an FIR to identify the alleged “VIP” on a complaint filed by Padma Bhushan-awarded environmentalist Anil Prakash Joshi to the director general of police.