Former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has moved out of his official residence and shifted to a private farmhouse in Delhi’s Chhatarpur area, officials told a news agency.
His absence from public life since stepping down sparked speculation, with Opposition leaders questioning his whereabouts. The farmhouse, located in Gadaipur, belongs to INLD leader Abhay Chautala.
Officials said Dhankhar will stay at the farmhouse temporarily until he is allotted a Type-VIII government bungalow, which is the official accommodation for former vice presidents.
Two days back, speculation intensified after it emerged that he had applied for a pension as a former legislator in the Rajasthan Assembly. Adding to the intrigue, his wife and daughter reportedly visited Rajasthan several times last week to oversee the construction of their farmhouse.
Dhankhar, who resigned unexpectedly from the post of Vice President on July 21, citing health reasons, has maintained a low profile since then. His resignation, described widely as the “talk of the town,” was accepted the following day, after which the Vice President’s Secretariat was dissolved and staff relieved of their duties. Since stepping down, Dhankhar has not made any public statements or appearances.
Shah’s response on Dhankhar’s whereabouts
In an interview with news agency ANI, Shah had said, “Dhankhar Sahab’s resignation letter is clear in itself. He has cited health reasons for his resignation. He has also expressed heartfelt gratitude towards the Prime Minister and other ministers and government members for his good tenure.”
The home minister had also responded to the claims by certain Opposition leaders that Dhankhar has been placed under house arrest, saying “the interpretation of truth and lies should not be based on what the Opposition says.”
“It seems like your interpretation of truth and lies is based on what the Opposition has to say. We shouldn’t make a fuss out of all this. Dhankhar held a constitutional post and discharged his duties as per the Constitution. He resigned due to personal health reasons. One should not deliberate much on the issue,” the Home Minister had added.
However, the Congress leaders were not convinced by Shah’s response and said there is simply no explanation why an irrepressible and ebullient Dhankhar has been completely incommunicado ever since his resignation.
Dhankhar had resigned from the post of Vice President of India on the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. In his resignation letter addressed to President Droupadi Murmu, Dhankhar said, “To prioritise health care and abide by medical advice, I hereby resign as the Vice President of India, effective immediately, in accordance with Article 67(a) of the Constitution.”
Several media houses had reported that Dhankhar was forced to resign as the government was miffed with his decision to accept an opposition motion to impeach Justice Yashwant Varma. Some reports had also claimed that the government was even preparing to bring an impeachment motion against Dhankhar.
Throughout his political career, Dhankhar has held several key positions. He served as a Janata Party Member of Parliament from Jhunjhunu between 1989 and 1991, maintaining close ties with late Deputy Prime Minister Chaudhary Devi Lal.
Later, in 1993, he was elected as an MLA from Kishangarh on a Congress ticket. He went on to serve as the Governor of West Bengal (2019–2022) and Vice President of India (2022–2025).