Lucknow, Jan 10 As Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has approved a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the high-profile murder case of 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari, the Congress on Saturday said that the BJP government is acting far too late, and appears to be giving a 'scapegoat' route to Ankita’s killers.
The reaction comes amid renewed public outrage and widespread protests across Uttarakhand, triggered by recent controversies, including leaked audio clips and allegations of the involvement of a 'VIP' in the case.
Ankita Bhandari, who worked as a receptionist at a resort near Rishikesh, went missing in September 2022. Her body was later recovered, leading to the arrest of the resort owner Pulkit Arya, the son of a former BJP leader, along with two of his associates.
Following the incident, the state government constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by a woman IPS officer, which carried out a swift and detailed probe. Throughout the process, all the accused were denied bail, and a chargesheet was filed in the case.
In May 2025, a lower court convicted all three accused and sentenced them to life imprisonment.
Reacting to the decision to hand over the case to the CBI, Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput said, “The BJP government is acting too late. This seems like giving a scapegoat route to Ankita’s killers. We have been demanding a comprehensive investigation for a long time.”
He further alleged that the delay was aimed at protecting influential individuals.
“Whether it is to save ‘Gattu’ or ‘Pattu’, the way the BJP has delayed action is sinful and deserving of a curse. The rapist and murderer of Ankita Bhandari should be hanged immediately. We hope the CBI will conduct a fair investigation without coming under pressure from any political party. The CBI should also fear the sin and curse that come with injustice. The Congress will not remain silent until justice is delivered in the hills of Uttarakhand,” he told IANS.
Rajput also reacted to the recent ban on the delivery of non-vegetarian food in Ayodhya.
He said, “If such rules are being imposed, it should be clarified how many years they are valid legally, religiously, and scripturally. Does Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s government intend to prevent Shaivites, the followers of Lord Shiva, from eating non-vegetarian food?”
He questioned whether followers of Lord Shiva would be allowed to live in Ayodhya and demanded answers from the BJP.
On Friday, the Ayodhya administration banned the delivery of non-vegetarian food items within a 15-km radius of the Ram temple. The decision followed repeated complaints about online food delivery platforms supplying non-vegetarian items in areas falling under the Panchkosi Parikrama.
Reports also indicated that some hotels and homestays in Ayodhya were serving non-vegetarian food and alcoholic beverages to guests. Authorities have issued strict warnings to such establishments to refrain from these activities.
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