Today, the Additional District and Sessions Judge court in Kotdwar is scheduled to deliver its verdict in the highly publicized Ankita Bhandari murder case in Uttarakhand. The case came to light on September 18, 2022, when 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari, a receptionist at the Vanantra Resort, went missing.
Kotdwar: Hopes of securing justice for Ankita Bhandari, the daughter of Uttarakhand, may finally be realized today. The court had set May 30th as the date to deliver its verdict in the much-discussed Ankita Bhandari murder case. After two years and eight months, the special court in Kotdwar will today pronounce its final judgment on this resonant case. The entire nation awaits this historic verdict, as it is not merely a case of a young woman's murder, but is also intertwined with social justice, women's safety, and public outrage against political interference.
The Horrifying Truth of the Murder
The case grabbed headlines on September 18, 2022, when 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari, who worked at the luxurious Vanantra Resort in Yamkeshwar, suddenly disappeared. Her body was recovered a few days later from a canal in the Lakshman Jhula area. Investigations revealed that Ankita was murdered by her employer, Pulkit Arya, and his two accomplices, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta.
According to allegations, Ankita was pressured to provide "special services" to the resort's VIP clients, which she resisted. This led to an argument, after which the three accused allegedly pushed her into the canal, resulting in her death. On September 23, all three accused were arrested and sent to jail.
A Protracted Battle of Investigation and Evidence
Taking the heinous murder case seriously, the Uttarakhand government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT). The SIT prepared a charge sheet of approximately 500 pages, and a total of 47 witnesses were presented in court. Based on forensic reports, call details, CCTV footage, and witness statements, the prosecution built a b case to convict the three accused.
Meanwhile, the defense claimed a conspiracy to frame the accused and argued for their innocence. However, the prosecution maintains that the murder was meticulously planned and that sufficient evidence exists to prove it.
Political Connections and Public Outrage
Adding further sensitivity to the case was the fact that the main accused, Pulkit Arya, is the son of Vinod Arya, a then-BJP leader and former Minister of State in the state government. When the case surfaced, protests erupted across Uttarakhand and the nation. People took to the streets, demanding "Justice for Ankita."
Amidst political pressure, the BJP immediately expelled Vinod Arya and Pulkit Arya from the party. The government assured transparency in the investigation.
Expectations from Today's Verdict
Now, after a lengthy judicial process of two years and eight months, as the verdict is about to be pronounced, the victim's family and the people of the country await justice. The impact of this decision will not be limited to this case alone; it will deeply influence women's safety, the transparency of the justice system, and the independence of the judiciary from political influence.
Ankita's father and family have stated that they have complete faith in the judiciary and that their daughter's soul will find peace only when the guilty receive the strictest possible punishment.
