Ankita Bhandari’s Parents Protest Gautam Appointment

Ankita Bhandari’s parents protested at India Gate in New Delhi on October 14, urging authorities to halt Dushyant Kumar Gautam’s appointment as Sikkim governor until a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into the alleged VIP angle in their daughter’s murder is complete. Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met the family at the protest. The family’s demand followed the announcement of Gautam’s appointment on October 12. Bhandari’s parents, Virendra Singh Bhandari and Soni Devi, appealed to President Droupadi Murmu to put the appointment on hold while the investigation continues. The CBI inquiry was described in the reports as ongoing; no completion date was given. Virendra Singh Bhandari accused Gautam of responsibility and alleged that an unidentified VIP played a major role in his daughter’s murder. The allegations have not been established, and Gautam denies involvement. The family has continued to seek investigation of the alleged VIP connection. Ankita Bhandari, 19, worked at the Vanantara resort in Uttarakhand and was murdered in 2022. Resort owner Pulkit Arya and two associates were convicted in the case and sentenced to life imprisonment.