Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has formally recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the murder of 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari, a case that has seen massive public protests reignited three years after the crime. The decision, announced on Friday, January 9, 2026, comes in direct response to the persistent demands of Ankita's parents and widespread civil society demonstrations.
A Case Reopened by Public Outcry
The Chief Minister's office stated that the recommendation was made "respecting the request and sentiments of the parents of Ankita Bhandari." CM Dhami affirmed that he would meet with the grieving parents and act on their demands to secure justice. Ankita Bhandari, who worked as a receptionist at the Vanantara resort in Rishikesh, was murdered in 2022 by the resort's manager, Pulkit Arya, son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya. Her body was discovered six days after she was reported missing, less than a month after she started her job.
The state government had initially constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by a woman IPS officer. Officials highlighted that none of the accused were granted bail during the investigation and trial, and the lower court eventually sentenced the convicts to life imprisonment. However, the family and activists remained unsatisfied, pointing to alleged loopholes in the SIT's work.
The Audio Clip That Changed Everything
The case surged back into national focus in December 2025 after Urmila Sanawar, who claims to be the wife of former MLA Suresh Rathore, released a controversial audio clip. In the purported conversation, Rathore allegedly identified a "VIP" linked to the case as a senior BJP leader referred to as "Gattu." This led to widespread speculation that the person in question was BJP national general secretary Dushyant Gautam, who subsequently filed a defamation case in the Delhi High Court against Sanawar, her husband, and opposition parties.
Following the audio leak, Uttarakhand witnessed a series of candlelight vigils, protests, and calls for a state-wide strike. The Justice For Ankita Committee and opposition parties intensified their demand for a central agency probe, alleging the SIT had been pressured to protect influential individuals.
Political Reactions and the Road Ahead
Congress leader Ganesh Godiyal stated that the government's move to recommend a CBI investigation was an admission of its own failure. He called it a victory for the people's movement and the relentless struggle of Ankita's parents. Meanwhile, convenor of the Justice For Ankita Committee, Mukesh Semwal, demanded that the CBI also investigate the conduct of the earlier SIT, accusing it of deliberately weakening the case.
Ankita's mother, Soni Devi, an anganwadi worker, expressed a mix of hope and exhaustion, revealing that the family had been demanding a CBI probe for three years, citing serious concerns about the SIT's investigation. As the state awaits the central agency's formal takeover, the spotlight remains firmly on whether this probe will deliver the transparent justice that has been sought for so long.
