New Delhi: The parents of Ankita Bhandari, who were detained by Delhi Police during an overnight protest at India Gate, have been released from Tilak Marg Police Station, bringing a fresh turn to the family's renewed campaign for justice in the 2022 Uttarakhand murder case. Congress leaders and other protesters were also detained during the pre-dawn police action.

The detentions took place at around 4 am on Thursday, hours after Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had met Ankita's parents at their protest site on Wednesday. The family has been demanding that newly appointed Sikkim Governor Dushyant Kumar Gautam's appointment be put on hold until the ongoing CBI investigation into the alleged 'VIP angle' in Ankita's case is completed.

Congress leaders Pawan Khera, Supriya Shrinate and Qazi Nizamuddin criticised the police action. Khera alleged that the detention of Ankita's parents and protesters reflected a serious assault on democratic rights. These are political allegations made in response to the police action.

Why were Ankita Bhandari's parents protesting?

Ankita's parents travelled to Delhi seeking intervention from President Droupadi Murmu over Gautam's appointment as Sikkim Governor. They have alleged that the CBI investigation should examine the possible role of a person described in the case as a "VIP".

Ankita's father, Virendra Singh Bhandari, has appealed to the President to withhold Gautam's appointment until the CBI probe is completed. The allegations linking Gautam to the case have not been established in court, and Gautam has denied involvement. He has also initiated defamation proceedings against people who accused him.

The renewed controversy followed the Centre's announcement on October 12 appointing Gautam as Sikkim Governor as part of a reshuffle involving governors in six states.
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What is the 'VIP angle' in the Ankita Bhandari case?

Ankita Bhandari, 19, worked as a receptionist at the Vanantara resort in Uttarakhand. She went missing in September 2022 and her body was recovered from the Chilla canal on September 24.

The resort was owned by Pulkit Arya, son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya. The prosecution case centred on allegations that Ankita was pressured to provide sexual services to guests and that she was killed after resisting such demands.

Pulkit Arya and two other accused, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta, were convicted in May 2025 and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder and related offences. The convictions established the criminal responsibility of the three men but did not resolve the separate allegations concerning a possible VIP role.

Questions over the alleged VIP connection resurfaced after audio and video material circulated publicly in late 2025. The allegations led to renewed demands for a separate investigation. The Uttarakhand government subsequently recommended a CBI probe in January 2026, and the agency took up the matter.

The allegations against Gautam remain unproven. Gautam has denied them and has pursued legal action against some of those who linked him to the case. The Delhi High Court has also directed Congress and AAP to remove social media posts linking him to the case.
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Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi meet family at India Gate

The family's protest gained wider political attention on Wednesday when Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met Ankita's parents at India Gate and expressed solidarity with them. The family was demanding that Gautam's appointment be halted pending completion of the CBI investigation.

The overnight detention and subsequent release of Ankita's parents have now added a fresh flashpoint to the dispute, with the family continuing to seek an investigation into the alleged VIP angle in their daughter's death.