What is Ankita Bhandari murder case? Timeline of events and ‘VIP’ angle explained

The Ankita Bhandari murder case is once again in the national spotlight after Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and several other Congress leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi, held a sit-in at India Gate with the parents of Bhandari.

Her parents have been demanding that the appointment of Dushyant Kumar Gautam as Sikkim Governor be delayed until the ongoing CBI investigation into the case is complete.

What is the Ankita Bhandari murder case? 

The 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari, who was employed as a receptionist at the Vanantara Resort in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, went missing in September 2022. Authorities found her body in a canal, five days after she went missing. The owner of the resort, Pulkit Arya, manager Saurabh Bhaskar, and assistant manager Ankit Gupta were arrested. They confessed to pushing her into a canal, and the three were found guilty in May 2025. The police chargesheet mentioned that Bhandari was allegedly being forced to render “special services” to guests at the resort, leading to an altercation between her and the convicts.

The case led to widespread protests in the hill state of Uttarakhand. It became contentious as Pulkit Arya, one of the three convicts, is the son of the then BJP leader Vinod Arya. The leader was expelled from the party after the brutal murder came to light.

‘VIP’ angle

A 2022 Frontline report notes the presence of a “VIP” to whom Bhandari was allegedly forced to render “special services.” It notes that, according to Deputy Inspector General P. Renuka Devi, there was a ‘presidential suite’ meant for VIP guests at the resort. A January 2026 The Hindu report notes that actor Urmila Sanawar, the partner of former BJP MLA Suresh Rathore, had alleged that the “VIP” in the case was a senior State BJP leader.

The Frontline report adds that WhatsApp conversations corroborated the view that Pulkit Arya was pressuring her into prostitution.

This led to widespread outrage among the local communities, with people vandalising the resort, prompting the administration to raze parts of the property. The razing was criticised as premature and leading to the loss of key evidence in the case.

BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam’s name has been repeatedly dragged into the case by Ankita’s family and activists as the alleged VIP linked to it. Mr. Gautam has denied the accusations and initiated defamation proceedings against them. A former national general secretary of the BJP, Mr. Gautam had served as the party’s in-charge for Uttarakhand.

He was appointed the Governor of Sikkim on October 12. Bhandari’s parents are demanding a stay on the appointment of the Sikkim Governor until the probe into the ‘VIP guest’ is complete. The Congress has claimed that the appointment was aimed at shielding Mr. Gautam, arguing that a Governor cannot be subjected to criminal proceedings while holding office.

Ankita Bhandari murder case: A timeline of events

• September 18, 2022: 19-year-old receptionist Ankita Bhandari goes missing from Vanantara Resort in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. 
• September 23-24, 2022: Resort owner Pulkit Arya (son of a then BJP leader Vinod Arya), manager Saurabh Bhaskar, and assistant manager Ankit Gupta are arrested for pushing Bhandari into the Chilla canal after authorities found her body there, five days after she went missing. 
• December 19, 2022: Uttarakhand Police file a 500-page charge sheet. It says that Bhandari was murdered after refusing to provide “special services” to VIP clients. The accused were booked under Sections 354, 302, 201, 120(B) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 3(1) of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act.
• March 18, 2023:Kotdwar Sessions Court officially frames criminal charges against Pulkit Arya, Saurabh Bhaskar, and Ankit Gupta. Pulkit is booked under Section 302 (murder), 201 (suppression of evidence), 354 (A) molestation and outraging modesty) the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Immoral Traffic Act. Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta are charged under Sections 302 and 201 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Immoral Prostitution Act.
• May 19, 2025: Kotdwar Court completes the trial hearings after examining 47 prosecution witnesses.
• May 29-30, 2025:The Court finds all the men guilty. Pulkit Arya, Saurabh Bhaskar, and Ankit Gupta are sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment along with a collective fine of Rs 4 lakh each which will be given to the family of the deceased. 
• January 4-6, 2026: Residents and some members of the ruling BJP demand a CBI probe under SC supervision to uncover the alleged “VIP” angle. On January 6, CM Pushkar Singh Dhami announces that further probe will be conducted. 
• June 30, 2026:Uttarakhand High Court refuses interim relief, suspension of sentence, and bail to the three convicts.
• October 14-15, 2026: Ankita Bhandari’s parents stage a sit-in protest at New Delhi’s India Gate against the political appointment of BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam as Sikkim Governor. Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, back their demands to halt the appointment until the CBI probe is complete. The parents were detained for protesting at India Gate and released on October 15. Ankita Bhandari’s father has now issued a 24-hour ultimatum to cancel the appointment of Dushyant Gautam.