Ankita Murder Case: Congress Seeks 6-Month CBI Probe, Wants Uttarakhand CM to Resign
Alka Lamba, President of the All India Mahila Congress, emphasized the need for an independent CBI investigation into the 'VIP angle' of Ankita Bhandari's murder, asserting that the case has been mishandled and calling for strict compliance with workplace safety regulations.
By : PTI
Update: 2026-01-10 17:35 GMT
New Delhi: The Congress on Saturday sought Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami's resignation, alleging his government was protecting the accused VIPs in Ankita Bhandari's murder, and demanded that the CBI probe be completed within six months under the supervision of a sitting judge.
Dhami has recommended a CBI inquiry into the 2022 murder of the 19-year-old resort receptionist following requests from her parents. The state Congress had been demanding an investigation by the federal probe agency in the wake of fresh evidence coming up in the case.
Addressing a press conference here, All India Mahila Congress President Alka Lamba and the party's communication department secretary Vaibhav Walia said Dhami was forced to announce a CBI investigation only after widespread public protests.
Describing the murder as a crime committed under the protection of power, Lamba demanded that the chief minister resign.
The Congress women's wing president also demanded that the CBI completes its probe into the Ankita Bhandari murder case within six months without any pressure or impartiality and initiates action against those who destroyed evidence.
She sought an independent investigation by the CBI into the "VIP angle" and ensure strict compliance with safety norms at workplaces. For five days after the murder, neither an FIR was registered, nor any serious investigation was conducted, Lamba alleged.
"We want the CBI to conduct an independent investigation of the VIP angle, take action against those who issued orders to destroy evidence, take action against the MLA who destroyed evidence, ensure strict compliance with safety laws at women's workplaces and fix accountability for those providing political protection.
"We also want a mandatory independent investigation mechanism for such cases in the future, and the CBI should take the case to its conclusion within six months without pressure and with impartiality," she told reporters.
Lamba also said the BJP should keep the "criminals" associated with the case away from the process for justice, so that action can be taken with impartiality and Ankita Bhandari can get justice.
The Mahila Congress president said Ankita's father has been mentioning some people who are considered important in the case, and asked why the special investigation team has not questioned them.
A bulldozer was deployed to tear down the resort and destroy all evidence because Ankita lived in that very resort, Lamba said.
"Why was a bulldozer run on the resort by the local BJP MLA without a judicial order? Why was the identity of the VIP not made public by the SIT? Did any VIP's name come up in the entire investigation by the SIT?
"Do women's safety schemes not apply to power-protected institutions, and is the life of a daughter from a poor family less valuable?" she posed.
Lamba also asked, "What is the guarantee that the accused in this case will not be released from jail, and when will action be taken against those who destroy evidence? After all, who in this case are the political people providing protection?"
Referring to several incidents that have occurred in Uttarakhand in recent months, including paper leaks and Tripura student Angel Chakma's murder, Walia alleged that the state government tried to protect the VIP involved in the Ankita murder case from the very beginning.
Now, the wife of a former BJP MLA has disclosed the VIP's name, after which people once again took to the streets demanding a CBI inquiry, he said, adding the chief minister was forced to order a CBI probe because of people's agitation.
In 2022, Ankita Bhandari was murdered by Pauri's Vanantra Resort owner Pulkit Arya, the son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya, and two of his employees. All three were sentenced to life imprisonment in this case.
A demand for a CBI probe into the 2022 killing gathered pace after Urmila Sanawar, an actress who claimed to be the wife of MLA Suresh Rathore, alleged the involvement of a 'VIP' in the murder.
She recently released videos on social media and audio recordings of her conversations, purportedly with Rathore, alleging the involvement of a 'VIP' in the Ankita murder case.