Kumari Selja slams BJP, CM over Ankita Bhandari murder, demands CBI probe into ‘VIP’ angle

The Uttarakhand Congress on Thursday strongly criticised the BJP and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami for questioning the opposition’s demand for a CBI probe into the Ankita Bhandari murder case, amid renewed controversy over the alleged presence of a “VIP” at the resort from where the 19-year-old went missing.

Speaking to the media, All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary and Uttarakhand in-charge Kumari Selja censured the BJP, alleging that the ruling party wanted to silence the Congress to hide the truth and protect its leaders in the Ankita Bhandari killing.

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“Why should the Congress party not raise this issue? We are a political party, and as the main opposition party in the state, it is our responsibility to raise this matter and inform the people about what happened to the daughter of Uttarakhand,” Selja said. “We will continue to raise this issue and demand a CBI probe monitored by a retired Supreme Court judge.”

Questioning the conduct of the authorities, Selja asked, “What was the role of the local MLA? Why did the Chief Minister not take the issue seriously? Who was the VIP? Who ordered the bulldozing of Ankita’s room at the Vanantara Resort? Why did the earlier investigation fail to address several crucial questions? A CBI probe must conduct a deep and comprehensive investigation.”

Echoing Selja’s remarks, Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Ganesh Godiyal alleged that the Dhami government must answer why thousands of girls have gone missing from the state. “In the past few years, thousands of girls have gone missing from Uttarakhand. Ankita’s room was bulldozed, CCTV cameras were broken, and material from her room was destroyed to tamper with evidence related to her death,” Godiyal said.

He demanded that the name of the alleged VIP be made public and an FIR be registered against him. “The probe must also expose the names of officials involved in destroying evidence in the killing of our daughter Ankita Bhandari. The BJP government is threatening the opposition with legal action, but no amount of coercion will deter the Congress. We will continue to raise this issue publicly,” he added.

Godiyal further alleged that the Uttarakhand government was trying to hide the truth behind the Ankita Bhandari murder of September 2023 and was making efforts to shield leaders of the ruling party.

Notably, Ankita Bhandari, who worked as a receptionist at the Vanantara Resort in Rishikesh to support her family, was murdered in 2023 by three men, including the resort owner. All three accused are currently serving life sentences following a trial that lasted nearly one and a half years.

The case resurfaced after Haridwar-based actress Urmila Sanawar released audio and video clips on social media, allegedly naming a BJP leader as the “VIP” present at the resort on the night before Ankita went missing. References to a “VIP” and “extra service” were reportedly found in WhatsApp chats between the victim and her friend Pushp.