Rahul Gandhi Meets Ankita Bhandari's Parents at India Gate; Demand Grows to Halt Dushyant Gautam's Appointment

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi met the parents of Ankita Bhandari at India Gate on Wednesday, October 14, expressing support for their protest against the appointment of senior BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam as the Governor of Sikkim.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also joined the family at the protest site. Ankita's parents have demanded that Gautam's appointment be put on hold until the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) completes its investigation into the alleged VIP angle in the 2022 murder case.

The protest has brought renewed national attention to the killing of the 19-year-old Uttarakhand woman and the family's continuing demand for answers about whether anyone beyond those already convicted was involved.

The immediate trigger was the announcement on October 12 that President Droupadi Murmu had appointed Gautam as Sikkim Governor. The appointment has prompted objections from the family and opposition leaders, who argue that it should not proceed while questions surrounding the case remain under investigation.

Ankita Bhandari's parents appeal to the President

Ankita's father, Virendra Singh Bhandari, has appealed to President Droupadi Murmu to put Gautam's appointment on hold until the investigation is concluded. Her mother, Soni Devi, has also expressed anguish over the appointment, saying the family was deeply distressed by the announcement.

The family is seeking a thorough investigation into the alleged involvement of a VIP mentioned in claims that resurfaced in public debate. Their demand is that the investigation establish whether anyone else was involved and ensure that all relevant questions are addressed.

The allegations concerning Gautam must be distinguished from established findings in the murder case. His appointment has triggered protests, but the allegations against him are not, by themselves, proof of criminal involvement.

Pawan Khera questions the timing of the appointment

Congress leader Pawan Khera criticised the decision to appoint Gautam as Governor before the investigation into the alleged VIP angle had concluded.

Khera questioned whether the appointment could provide constitutional protection to someone facing allegations and asked why the process was moving ahead before the investigation was complete. He also raised questions about whom the government might be trying to protect.

His remarks reflect the Congress party's political position on the appointment. The suggestion that the appointment was intended to shield anyone from investigation remains an allegation and has not been established as fact.

The controversy has consequently widened from a demand for further investigation into a broader political dispute over accountability, the timing of constitutional appointments and the handling of allegations connected to a high-profile criminal case.

What happened in the Ankita Bhandari murder case? Ankita Bhandari worked as a receptionist at Vanantra Resort in the Ganga-Bhogpur area of Uttarakhand's Pauri Garhwal district. She was reported missing in September 2022, and her body was recovered from the Chilla canal on September 24, six days after she was killed on September 18.

The investigation found that Ankita had been pressured to provide sexual favours to guests at the resort and was killed after resisting. Pulkit Arya, the resort owner and son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya, was convicted along with two other accused. The three were sentenced to life imprisonment in May 2025, according to reporting by The Indian Express.

The convictions established criminal responsibility for the murder. The current controversy concerns the family's separate demand for further investigation into the alleged VIP angle and whether others may have had a role in the circumstances surrounding the crime.

Why has Dushyant Kumar Gautam's appointment triggered protests?

Gautam, a senior BJP leader and former party national general secretary who served as the party's Uttarakhand in-charge, was appointed Governor of Sikkim in the October 12 reshuffle announced by Rashtrapati Bhavan.

His appointment became controversial after the victim's family renewed its demand for a CBI investigation into the alleged VIP angle. The family wants the appointment put on hold until the investigation is completed.

Gautam has rejected allegations linking him to the murder case and has sought legal protection against defamatory claims, according to media reports. No allegation should be treated as a finding of guilt unless established through the legal process.

The dispute has also drawn attention to the distinction between the conviction of the three accused in the murder and the family's continuing concerns about possible additional involvement.

CBI investigation and the next steps

The central issue now is whether the investigation into the alleged VIP angle will resolve the family's remaining questions. The parents have asked the President to halt Gautam's appointment until the investigation is completed and have warned of further protest if their demand is not addressed.

The political response has been sharply divided. Congress leaders have supported the family's demand, while the controversy has prompted a wider debate over the allegations, the investigation and the propriety of proceeding with the gubernatorial appointment.

For the family, the protest is a demand for answers beyond the convictions already secured. For the authorities, the central test is whether the remaining allegations are examined transparently and in accordance with the law.

The case remains a sensitive issue involving a victim's family, serious allegations against a public figure and a constitutional appointment. Any further conclusions about additional involvement must rest on verified evidence and the findings of the investigation.