New Delhi: Delhi Police on Thursday detained Ankita Bhandari's parents and several opposition leaders during a sit-in protest at India Gate, with Congress leaders accusing the police of manhandling demonstrators and demanding justice in the case.
The detentions took place around 4 am.
Congress leaders Supriya Shrinate, Pawan Khera and Kazi Nizamuddin criticised the police action, alleging that the authorities were targeting those demanding justice for Ankita Bhandari and questioning the alleged proposed appointment of Dushyant Gautam.
"The police are detaining women protesters. The way they are manhandling MPs while detaining them is extremely shameful. The government must understand that the tears of Ankita Bhandari's parents will cost it dearly," a protester said.
Congress MP Pawan Khera alleged that the police action reflected a deterioration in democratic freedoms.
"This is brutality. You can see democracy coming to an end at India Gate. It is ending at 4 am," Khera said.
Hitting out at newly appointed Sikkim Governor Dushyant Gautam, he further alleged that those protesting against the accused were being detained while the person facing allegations could be appointed to a constitutional post.
Khera said, "Barbarity is happening in this country. The one who has been accused will become the governor, and Ankita's parents will go to jail? We are protesting against rapists, so we will go to jail, and the one who has been accused of rape will become the governor-this is democracy."
Congress leader Supriya Shrinate condemned the detentions, alleging that the authorities were acting harshly against Ankita Bhandari's parents, who, she said, had been seeking justice for four years.
"What kind of action is this? This is a ruthless action against helpless parents who have been demanding justice for four years. Instead of delivering justice to them, the government is appointing the main accused as a Governor and then treating the parents so brutally," Shrinate said.
She also questioned the timing of the police action, alleging that women protesters were being picked up before 6 am.
The protesters demanded the cancellation of the appointment of Dushyant Gautam to the Governor's position amid a probe into the alleged VIP angle in the case.
AICC in-charge of Delhi Pradesh Congress, MLA Qazi Nizamuddin, also criticised the police action, alleging that the authorities should be taking action against Dushyant Gautam instead of detaining Ankita Bhandari's parents.
Nizamuddin said, "The family of Ankita Bhandari was holding a peaceful sit-in protest in front of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi boosted their morale. The police came late at night and arrested the women and us and took us away. Our fight will continue until Dushyant Gautam is behind bars."
He added that the Congress would continue its campaign for justice and said the people of Uttarakhand would not tolerate the alleged treatment of Ankita Bhandari's parents.
"The Congress party will continue this fight. The police should have arrested Dushyant Gautam. Today, with Rashtrapati Bhavan in front of us and the memorial and India Gate behind us, Ankita Bhandari's parents are being forcibly detained along with all of us. Uttarakhand will never tolerate this, especially at this hour of the night, said Nizamuddin."
Earlier on Wednesday, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met with the parents of the late Ankita Bhandari during their sit-in protest at India Gate.
The grieving family staged a demonstration against the recent appointment of BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam as the Governor of Sikkim, citing alleged links and calling for an immediate halt to his constitutional posting pending a central investigation.
Expressing deep dissatisfaction over the government's decision, Ankita's father, Virendra Singh Bhandari, demanded legal accountability over the political appointment, "Dushyant Kumar should be behind bars. I earnestly request the Honourable President not to appoint Dushyant Kumar as Governor until the CBI investigation is concluded."
Ankita was murdered on September 18, 2022, and her body was recovered from the Chilla Canal on September 24, 2022.
The resort owner, Pulkit Arya, son of expelled BJP leader Vinod Arya, and two staff members, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta, were arrested, chargesheeted and on May 30, 2025, sentenced to life imprisonment by Additional District Judge Reena Negi in Kotdwar for murder, destruction of evidence and other charges.