‘Warped Mentality’ of Protecting Criminals: Rahul Slams BJP on Ankita Bhandari Case

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday slammed the BJP over the 2022 Ankita Bhandari murder case, in which a 19-year-old receptionist of an Uttarakhand resort was killed, and said the ruling party has a "warped mentality" of protecting criminals.

Gandhi said he met Bhandari's family here two days ago.

Four years have passed, but even today they are waiting for justice for a crime against their daughter that is unforgivable, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha said in a post in Hindi on X.

"Ankita, just 19 years old, was a receptionist at the Vanantara Resort where she was murdered by being drowned in the Chilla canal after resisting the shameful demands of a 'VIP' guest. The postmortem report also confirmed evidence of violence and drowning," Gandhi said.

However, Ankita's room at the resort was demolished before any kind of investigation could take place, which is suspicious in itself, he said.

"The most shameful aspect of this tragic case is that the state government itself continues to protect that 'VIP' to this day. Why? Because he is a prominent leader of the BJP-RSS," Gandhi alleged.

This is the BJP's "warped mentality -- protecting rapists and criminals, providing them political protection, even welcoming convicted rapists with garlands", he said.

"The most repulsive people in the world are those who defend rapists, and the BJP is full of such individuals," Gandhi said.

"India cannot move forward until this inhuman mentality that treats women as objects for men's use is eradicated. India will move forward only when India's women move forward with respect, safety, equality and justice," the former Congress chief said.

Bhandari, a receptionist at the resort in Pauri Garhwal district, was reported missing in September 2022. Her body was later found in a canal.

Investigation revealed that she was murdered for refusing her employer's demand to provide "special" services to a VIP guest at the resort.

The high-profile murder case had triggered widespread protests across Uttarakhand, leading to the arrest of three persons, including the resort owner. They were subsequently convicted of murder.