Ankita Bhandari Murder Case: Uttarakhand Court To Announce Its Decision Today
The Uttarakhand court finished hearing the Ankita Bhandari murder case on Monday and will announce its decision today. The Additional District and Sessions Judge in Kotdwar will give the verdict. This case drew national attention after locals protested the murder of Ankita, a 19-year-old receptionist at Vanantra Resort in Pauri district’s Yamkeshwar area.
Ankita Bhandari, a young woman, was reportedly killed on September 18, 2022, by Pulkit Arya, who ran the resort where she worked, along with his two staff members, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta. The case gained wide attention because Pulkit is the son of BJP leader Vinod Arya. After the incident, locals protested, and the BJP removed Vinod Arya from the party. The Uttarakhand government also set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into the case. The court has finished hearing the case and will give its final decision today.
On May 19 this year, Judge Reena Negi listened to the final arguments from both the defence and the prosecution in the high-profile case that had drawn attention across Uttarakhand because of its political links. After hearing both sides, she set May 30 as the date to announce the verdict. The trial went on for two years and eight months, during which the prosecution lawyer, Anuj Pundir, presented 47 witnesses, including the main investigating officer.
The prosecution said that Ankita Bhandari and Pulkit Arya had an argument, after which Pulkit, along with Bhaskar and Gupta, allegedly pushed her into the Cheela canal in Rishikesh. Later, her body was found in the canal, and the three men were arrested and jailed. People in Pauri district feared the accused might get special treatment because of his political background, so they held large protests. In response, the Uttarakhand government set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to properly investigate the case and ensure justice.
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