NEW DELHI/UKHRUL: Leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has urged president Droupadi Murmu to ask the government to reconsider Dushyant Gautam’s appointment as governor of Sikkim and defer his assumption of office until the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) completes its probe into the alleged VIP angle in the 2022 murder of Ankita Bhandari.
In a letter dated October 15, Gandhi said the identity of the alleged VIP linked to the case remained unanswered nearly four years after the 19-year-old receptionist was murdered. He expressed concern that Gautam’s appointment could complicate efforts to establish the truth and secure justice for Ankita’s family.
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Gandhi said he was approaching the president as a “last resort”, invoking Article 74(1) of the Constitution, which allows the President to ask the Council of Ministers to reconsider its advice.
“I request you to ask the Government to reconsider this appointment, and that Mr. Gautam not take office until the CBI has completed its investigation,” Gandhi wrote.
Ankita worked as a receptionist at the Vanantra resort near Rishikesh in Uttarakhand. According to Gandhi’s letter, she was pressured by her employer, Pulkit Arya, to provide “special services” to VIP guests, a demand she refused. Arya, the son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya, and two resort employees were convicted of her murder and sentenced to life imprisonment in May 2023.
However, questions surrounding the alleged VIP connection have continued to fuel demands for further investigation. The Uttarakhand government handed the inquiry into the alleged VIP angle to the CBI in January 2026 following protests, and the investigation remains underway.
Gandhi said Ankita’s family and others had alleged that Gautam was linked to the case. He expressed shock over Gautam’s appointment as governor while the investigation was pending. The allegations against Gautam have not been established as proof of criminal involvement.
The Congress leader also argued that a governor’s constitutional immunity from criminal proceedings during the tenure could pose difficulties for any investigation that might lead to prosecution.
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Under Article 361 of the Constitution, the president and governors enjoy certain protections from criminal proceedings while in office. Gandhi said the appointment risked undermining public confidence in the investigation if the alleged VIP angle remained unresolved.
He also criticised prime minister Narendra Modi over the appointment, accusing the government of disregarding concerns about women’s safety.
The letter follows a protest by Ankita’s parents at India Gate in New Delhi against Gautam’s appointment. Gandhi had met the family during the protest on October 14, expressing solidarity with their demand for justice. The family has continued to seek answers about the alleged VIP connection to their daughter’s murder.
Appealing to the president to intervene, Gandhi urged her to ensure that Gautam did not assume office until the CBI completed its investigation.
“Please act – provide solace to Ankita’s grieving parents and protect the high post of Governor,” he wrote.
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It may be mentioned that Om Prakash Mathur was appointed governor of Kerala on October 12, 2026, as part of a gubernatorial reshuffle announced by President Droupadi Murmu.
According to The Telegraph report, Ankita Bhandari’s parents were detained by Delhi Police around 4 am on Thursday after staging an overnight protest at India Gate against Dushyant Gautam’s appointment as Sikkim governor. The grieving family has demanded that the appointment be rescinded until the CBI completes its investigation into the alleged VIP angle in their daughter’s 2022 murder. The parents were released by sunrise, while activist Yogita Bhayana warned of intensified protests if their demand was not met within 24 hours. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met the family during the protest, with Rahul subsequently writing to President Droupadi Murmu seeking reconsideration of Gautam’s appointment. Gautam has denied allegations linking him to the case and has initiated defamation proceedings against his accuser.