The parents of Ankita Bhandari, a 19-year-old resort receptionist murdered in Uttarakhand in 2022, staged a protest at India Gate on October 14 against Dushyant Kumar Gautam’s appointment as Sikkim Governor. They want the appointment put on hold until the investigation into the alleged “VIP angle” in their daughter’s death is completed.
Ankita went missing on September 18, 2022, while working at a resort near Rishikesh. Her body was recovered from the Chilla canal on September 24. On May 30, 2025, a court sentenced resort owner Pulkit Arya and two employees, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta, to life imprisonment for her murder.
However, Ankita’s parents say questions remain about an alleged VIP who, they claim, was linked to the case. They have sought the President’s intervention and demanded that the investigation establish the full facts. Gautam, whose name has been raised by the family, has denied the allegations. No court finding establishing his involvement has been reported.
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met the parents during the protest. Police detained the protesters, and the parents were released at around 5 am on October 15, according to media reports.
Why is the case back in the news?
Gautam’s appointment, announced on October 12, has renewed the family’s demand for answers about the alleged VIP angle. The CBI investigation’s current status should be confirmed with the agency before publication.
