In another surprise protest against the BJP government, Rahul Gandhi briefly sat on a dharna at the India Gate lawns on Wednesday evening, with the parents of Uttarakhand murder victim Ankita Bhandari, against the appointment of Dushyant Kumar Gautam as Sikkim governor despite his name cropping up in the September 2022 case.
Gautam is not named in any chargesheet yet, but Bhandari’s parents allege he is the “VIP” mentioned in the case recently.
The case involved allegations that the 19-year-old, who worked as a receptionist, was murdered after refusing sexual favours to guests at the resort run by Pulkit Arya, the son of a former BJP leader, in Rishikesh.
Uttarakhand Congress chief Ganesh Godiyal on Tuesday announced a one-hour silent fast in Dehradun to protest the appointment of Dushyant Gautam. The CBI has since taken custody of records related to the case, including the Special Investigation Team report, the police FIR, and other documents. Godiyal alleged that the appointment was a direct attempt to save Gautam, as no case can be registered against a Governor. He further alleged that the CBI probe had made no progress. “The investigation has not advanced even an inch, and the CBI has not filed any FIR against the named accused. Congress state in-charge Kumari Selja also took to social media to question the decision to appoint Gautam as governor. “The BJP government has appointed the very VIP – whose name is being cited by Ankita Bhandari’s parents as they plead for justice for their daughter – to a constitutional post like that of a Governor. “Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami made it clear from the outset that women’s safety and tough action against criminals are the government’s priorities. In the same vein, police were directed to take immediate action. An SIT was constituted to probe the case in depth. Under the judicial process, the convicts were sentenced to life imprisonment. This verdict was based on the evidence presented by the court and the legal process,” added an official. The official noted that government lawyers were also changed, and when Ankita’s parents demanded a CBI probe, the chief minister ordered it.
The case involves allegations that the 19-year-old, who worked as a receptionist, was murdered for refusing sexual favours to guests at the resort run by Pulkit Arya, the son of a former BJP leader, in Rishikesh. In Ankita Bhandari’s alleged murder, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took up the case after Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami recommended a federal agency probe on January 9, 2026. Within 24 hours of the incident, the accused were arrested and sent to jail.
The case, in which three men have been sentenced to life in jail by a local court, gained renewed attention after an FIR was registered against an unidentified “VIP” in January 2026, following allegations and viral audio and video clips referring to such a VIP. Appointing such a person to the post of Governor is highly objectionable,” he said. Ideally, the CBI investigation should have proceeded rapidly, and an FIR should have been registered against the named accused; instead, the BJP government appointed him Governor,” Selja said. Uttarakhand BJP government sources said on Wednesday that “prompt action, impartial investigation, effective prosecution and assistance to the victim’s family” have been provided.
