Ankita Bhandari murder case: Court sentences Pulkit Arya to life imprisonment

New Delhi: The Additional District and Sessions Judge Court in Kotdwar sentenced three men to life imprisonment on Friday for the brutal murder of 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari on September 18, 2022. 

The sentencing comes nearly three years after the tragic incident that shook the state and sparked nationwide outrage.

Pulkit Arya, the owner of the Vanantra Resort where Bhandari worked as a receptionist, along with his associates Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta, were found guilty of murder, assault, and criminal conspiracy. 

The court also imposed fines on the convicted individuals and awarded Rs 4 lakh in compensation to Bhandari's family, acknowledging the profound loss they have endured.

According to the prosecution, Ankita and Pulkit had a dispute over something, after which Pulkit, along with Bhaskar and Gupta, allegedly pushed Ankita into the Cheela canal in Rishikesh.

After Ankita's body was found in the canal, the police arrested the three and sent them to jail.

Pulkit is the son of Vinod Arya, former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader. As soon as the matter came to light, the party showed Arya the way out.

Locals took to the streets when the matter came to the fore and to pacify them, the state government formed a special investigation team to investigate the matter.

The trial, which spanned over two years, involved a detailed examination of evidence presented in a 500-page chargesheet and testimonies from 47 witnesses. 

The prosecution argued that Arya, Bhaskar, and Gupta conspired to commit the crime, with Arya's political connections initially raising concerns about the integrity of the investigation.