Congress that was harping on about 'VIP' angle, did not provide evidence on time: BJP leader

Dehradun, Dec 23 (PTI) BJP's Uttarakhand unit president and Rajya Sabha member Mahendra Bhatt said on Tuesday that the Congress, which was harping on about the 'VIP' angle in the Ankita Bhandari murder case, did not provide evidence on time and is now trying to insult 'that girl's soul' by creating unnecessary conspiracies.

Bhatt's statement comes after the Congress accused the Uttarakhand government of protecting the accused in the murder case and demanded that the investigation be conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) under the supervision of a sitting or retired Supreme Court judge.

"At that time, the DGP had made a public appeal that if anyone has information about the VIP, they should come forward and tell. No one came forward then, and now, by creating unnecessary conspiracies regarding Ankita, the Congress is insulting that girl's soul," he said.

He said that it was due to the efforts of the state government that the criminals were sentenced to life imprisonment.

Bhatt alleged that a complaint has been filed with the police regarding the unverified viral audio that the Congress is trying to use as a political weapon.

The state president said that the person whose audio is being circulated has alleged that these audios were created by tampering with them using AI.

He said, "The person concerned has already clarified that he has not said any such thing and that all this is being done as part of a political conspiracy to tarnish the image of the BJP." Bhatt also asked the Congress leaders to immediately apologize publicly for their irresponsible statements.

Meanwhile, former MLA Suresh Rathore, who was expelled from the BJP, said at a press conference in Haridwar that audios of his voice created using AI have been deliberately made viral with the intention of tarnishing his political and social image, against which he has filed a case at the Jwalapur police station.

Rathore said, "For the past two days, an AI-generated audio clip of me has been circulating, in which a conspiracy is being hatched to defame BJP leaders regarding our daughter Ankita Bhandari, and the names of national and state leaders are being mentioned." He said that the police should seize the mobile phone of Urmila Sanawar, who identifies herself as his wife in a video, and conduct a technical and forensic investigation so that the truth can come to light.

He alleged that Urmila has been mentally harassing his family for a long time by making personal allegations against them.

Rathore said that such allegations are not only damaging his personal reputation but also vitiating the social atmosphere, and he has filed a complaint regarding this at the Jwalapur police station. PTI DPT NB NB