Ankita Bhandari murder case: Resort owner among three sentenced to rigorous life imprisonment

Kotdwar, May 30 (PTI) A court here on Friday sentenced a resort owner and his two employees to rigorous life imprisonment in the 2022 Ankita Bhandari murder case.

Bhandari (19), who worked as a receptionist at Vanantra Resort located in Yamkeshwar of Pauri district, was murdered on September 18, 2022 by resort owner Pulkit Arya and his two employees Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Reena Negi also imposed a fine of Rs 72,000 on Arya and Rs 62,000 on each of the other two accused, Special Public Prosecutor Avnish Negi.

According to the prosecution, Bhandari and Arya had a dispute over something after which the three pushed the woman into the Cheela canal in Rishikesh.

After her body was found from the canal, the police arrested all three.

Pulkit Arya is the son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya. As soon as the matter came to light, the party showed the door to Vinod Arya.

The court convicted Arya under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 302 (murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence/giving false information), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and Section 5(1) D of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act (ITPA), he said.

Negi said that Bhaskar and Gupta were convicted IPC sections 302, 201 and Section 5(1)d of the ITPA.

He said that all the sentences of the convicts will run simultaneously.

Negi said that the court has also ordered the government to pay Rs 4 lakh as compensation to Ankita's parents.

The murder had triggered protests by locals following which the state government formed a special investigation team to probe it.

The hearing of the case lasted for two years and eight months and during this period 47 witnesses were examined.

A large number of police force was deployed in the court in view of the verdict in the case. The court premises were cordoned off by more than 450 policemen.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said justice has been ensured for the daughter of Uttarakhand.

The state government had resolved to provide justice to Ankita and took all steps in that direction.

Police were immediately instructed to arrest the accused and an SIT was formed under the chairmanship of a woman IPS officer who investigated all the angles and collected evidence, he said.

Dhami said the case was effectively pleaded in the court and as a result the accused could not even get bail.

During this period, the administration kept in constant communication with Ankita's family and they were given financial help.

“We cannot bring Ankita back. But we have ensured that justice is done to her. This decision shows our commitment towards the safety and respect of every daughter of the state,” Dhami said.

Welcoming the court’s decision, the CM said that it further strengthens the confidence of the people in the judicial system.

Reacting to the verdict, Uttarakhand Congress chief Karan Mahara said the decision was an important step towards justice but it provided only partial justice to Ankita.

Many important questions are still unanswered which the Dhami government has to answer, he said.

“Even today it is not clear which 'VIP' persons the state government tried to save. On whose orders were bulldozers run on Vanantra Resort with the intention of destroying evidence. Who is responsible for the negligence shown by the administrative officials in the initial investigation,” he said, adding that the Congress will continue to raise this issue.

On the other hand, Uttarakhand BJP media in-charge Manveer Singh Chauhan described the punishment given to the culprits in the Ankita murder case as a victory of justice and called the Congress's reaction unfortunate and politically motivated.

Chauhan said that the court has given its decision on the basis of facts and the allegations of weak advocacy levelled by other opposition parties including Congress have automatically become meaningless. PTI DPT NB NB