Uttarakhand Court Convicts Resort Owner Pulkit Arya, 2 Others in Ankita Bhandari Murder Case
An Uttarakhand court on Friday convicted Pulkit Arya, son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya, and two associates for the 2022 murder of 19-year-old hotel receptionist Ankita Bhandari, ending a high-profile case that sparked nationwide outrage over women’s safety and political influence.
The Additional District and Sessions Court in Kotdwar found all three accused — Pulkit Arya, Saurabh Bhaskar, and Ankit Gupta — guilty of murdering Ankita, who worked at the Vanantara Resort owned by Arya in Pauri district’s Yamkeshwar area.
Ankita Bhandari went missing on September 18, 2022, after going to Rishikesh with the three accused. Her body was later recovered from the Chilla canal, turning the case into a national flashpoint over women’s safety and justice delivery.
According to the prosecution, Ankita was murdered after she refused to provide ‘special services’ to clients at the resort and threatened to expose the illegal activities being conducted there.
On the evening of September 18, 2022, around 8 pm, Ankita accompanied Pulkit Arya, resort manager Saurabh Bhaskar, and employee Ankit alias Pulkit Gupta to Rishikesh.
During their return journey, the group stopped near a canal along Chila Road where the three men consumed alcohol while Ankita waited. A heated argument erupted when Ankita confronted them about the alleged illegal activities at the resort and warned she would expose them.
Enraged by her threats, the trio pushed her into the canal, leading to her death.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) filed a comprehensive 500-page chargesheet naming 97 witnesses, of whom 47 testified during the trial that began on March 28, 2023.
The accused were charged under multiple sections including Bharat Naya Sanhita sections 302 (murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), 354A (sexual harassment), and provisions of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act. The Gangster Act was also invoked against all three.
Hours before the verdict, Ankita’s mother made an emotional appeal for the death penalty for all three convicted men.
“May the criminals be sentenced to death…I appeal to the public of Uttarakhand to keep on supporting us and come to the Kotdwar court to boost our morale,” she told news agency ANI.
The case had significant political implications, with Pulkit Arya’s father Vinod Arya being suspended from the BJP following the incident. The case highlighted concerns about political influence potentially hampering investigations.
Initial allegations of a botched early investigation and attempts at political shielding had further inflamed public anger, making the case a test of the justice system’s independence.
The Ankita Bhandari murder case became emblematic of broader issues surrounding women’s safety in India, particularly in the hospitality and service sectors where young women often face exploitation.
The case gained widespread media attention and sparked protests across Uttarakhand, with activists and citizens demanding swift justice and systemic changes to protect working women.
Investigations revealed that the Vanantara Resort was allegedly being used for illegal activities, with employees reportedly being pressured to provide inappropriate services to clients. The resort’s operations came under intense scrutiny following Ankita’s murder.
