New Delhi: More than four years after Ankita Bhandari’s murder, her family’s demand for answers has returned to the national spotlight, this time following the appointment of former BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam as Sikkim Governor.  

On Wednesday, October 14, Ankita’s parents staged a protest at India Gate in New Delhi, demanding justice for their daughter.

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met the bereaved family, bringing renewed political attention to the controversy surrounding the 2022 murder case.  

The protest was triggered immediately after the President’s Secretariat announced Gautam’s appointment on October 12.

Ankita’s family and Congress leaders have questioned the decision, citing allegations that a ‘VIP’ may have played a role in the case. The allegations have not been established in court. 

Why the Governor appointment has reopened the controversy

Ankita, 19, worked as a receptionist at the Vanantara Resort in Pauri Garhwal district, Uttarakhand. She went missing on September 18, 2022, and her body was recovered six days later.

Resort owner Pulkit Arya, son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya, and two other accused were convicted in the case and sentenced to life imprisonment.

However, Ankita’s family has continued to demand an investigation into the alleged ‘VIP’ angle, arguing that the case should not be considered fully resolved until their questions are addressed.

Ankita's family and activists have named Gautam, a former BJP leader who served as the party’s Uttarakhand in-charge, in connection with allegations about the unidentified VIP.

The allegations remain contested, and the family's naming him does not establish his involvement in the crime. 

Family questions pace of CBI investigation

The renewed protest also comes amid questions about the progress of the CBI probe. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami recommended a CBI investigation in February 2026.

According to The New Indian Express, two CBI officers visited Ankita’s ancestral village in Pauri district in October and questioned her parents.

Ankita’s father, Virendra Bhandari, has questioned the pace of the investigation and called for the examination of technical evidence.

He has demanded scrutiny of phone records linked to the period surrounding his daughter’s disappearance and the demolition of the resort.

He has also questioned why investigators are asking witnesses who have already testified in court to repeat their statements, arguing that they should focus on evidence that could clarify the alleged VIP connection.

These are demands from the family, not CBI findings. 

Rahul Gandhi meets Ankita’s parents

Rahul Gandhi’s visit to India Gate on Wednesday brought the family’s protest into sharper national focus. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also met Ankita’s parents, reports say.

The protest reflects the family’s continuing demand for accountability despite convictions in the murder case.

The fresh controversy centers on whether authorities will adequately investigate the alleged VIP angle and address the questions raised by Ankita’s parents. 

The central issue remains the family’s demand for a thorough investigation. Gautam’s appointment as Governor has reignited that demand, turning a long-running search for answers into a fresh political controversy.