Ready for further probe in Ankita Bhandari murder case: Dhami

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday (January 6, 2026) said his government will do “whatever it takes”, including ordering a new investigation, to ensure justice for Ankita Bhandari. The Chief Minister’s remark comes in the wake of Statewide protests by residents, as well as by the office-bearers of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), over the past fortnight demanding a fresh probe into Bhandari’s murder.

Speaking to reporters in Dehradun, Mr. Dhami said the case has affected Uttarakhand residents who, he added, have “expressed their views with sensitivity”.

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“I will speak to Ankita’s parents as the chief servant of the State. After discussing the matter with them and studying the legal aspects, we will proceed in accordance with their wishes to ensure justice for their daughter,” said the Chief Minister.

Bhandari, who was 19-years-old at the time of her murder in September 2022, was a receptionist at a resort owned by Pulkit Arya, the son of now-expelled BJP leader Vinod Arya. In their 500-page chargesheet, the police said Bhandari was murdered over her refusal to render sexual favours to a “VIP guest” at the resort. In May 2025, a sessions court awarded Pulkit Arya and his two accomplices life imprisonment for the murder.

However, the demand for a new investigation was sparked after actress Urmila Sanawar, the partner of former BJP MLA Suresh Rathore, alleged that the “VIP” in the case was a senior State BJP leader.

Demand for CBI probe

Since then, Bhandari’s parents, the Opposition Congress and several social outfits have demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to identify the “guest”.

Former Chief Minister and Lok Sabha member Trivendra Singh Rawat is among the senior ruling party leaders who have also pressed for a fresh inquiry into the case.