UPDATED: Oct 14, 2026 22:09 IST
Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met the parents of Ankita Bhandari near India Gate in New Delhi, extending solidarity as the family staged a dharna. Ankita Bhandari, a 19-year-old receptionist at a resort in Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, was found murdered in September 2022. While three men, including resort owner Pulkit Arya, were convicted, the family continues to demand a thorough probe into the alleged involvement of a VIP. The latest flashpoint follows the appointment of BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam as Sikkim Governor, with the victim's parents demanding his punishment and alleging his involvement in the case. The parents also criticised the pace and direction of the Central Bureau of Investigation probe, seeking examination of technical evidence like call records. The political outreach comes ahead of the Uttarakhand assembly elections, returning the high-profile case to the national spotlight.
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