Ankita Bhandari case: CBI takes custody of relevant documents; expected to record complainant's statement

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], February 4 (ANI): Following the registration of a case against an unidentified VIP in the Ankita Bhandari murder case of September 2022 in Uttarakhand's Pauri Garhwal district, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has intensified its probe.
In this sequence, the CBI team that arrived in Dehradun has taken into custody several documents, including the Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigation report related to the Ankita murder case, the police FIR, and other relevant records.
It is noteworthy that the CBI will soon record the statement of Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awardee Dr Anil Prakash Joshi, the complainant in the FIR registered on January 9th at the Vasant Vihar police station in Dehradun.
The CBI registered the case with its Special Crime Branch on the basis of the FIR lodged at the Vasant Vihar police station, following the recommendation of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami for a CBI investigation.
The case drew widespread attention after alleged audio and video clips went viral on social media, in which Urmila Sanawar, the alleged wife of a former BJP MLA from Jwalapur, mentioned the involvement of a "VIP."
Following this, large-scale protests erupted across the state, with demands for a CBI investigation.
In view of the viral videos and the prevailing situation, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami recommended a CBI probe on January 9, 2026, into the Ankita Bhandari case, keeping in mind the sentiments of her parents and the difficulties they have faced after losing their daughter.
Subsequently, the CBI's Special Crime Branch registered a case against the alleged VIP.
Earlier, CM Pushkar Singh Dhami met with the parents of late Ankita Bhandari, during which they demanded a CBI probe. The CM assured them that the government is standing with them. CM also stated earlier that delivering justice to Uttarakhand's daughter has been the state governemnt highest priority, the government has acted with utmost seriousness, sensitivity and transparency in this matter.
On the issue of the CBI inquiry, the Chief Minister earlier clarified that while the sentiments of the entire state are associated with daughter Ankita, the ones most deeply affected by the tragic incident are her parents. The Chief Minister reiterated the government's full commitment to the safety, dignity, and justice of daughters.
Ankita Bhandari, who was working as a receptionist at the Vanantra Resort in Rishikesh, was murdered in September 2022. Her body was recovered from the Cheela Canal on September 24. In this case, the resort owner Pulkit Arya, manager Saurabh Bhaskar, and Ankita Gupta have already been sentenced to life imprisonment. (ANI)