Ankita Bhandari Murder Case: Uttarakhand HC Asks SIT To File Status Report Of Investigation

The Uttarakhand High Court on Thursday asked the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Ankita Bhandari murder case to file a status report in the matter.

Bhandari (19) was allegedly killed by the owner of a resort where she worked as a receptionist.

It has been alleged that after the murder, important evidence related to the crime was destroyed on the instructions of Yamkeshwar MLA Renu Bisht by running a bulldozer at Vanantra Resort at Yamkeshwar in Pauri district.

A single bench of Justice Sanjay Kumar Mishra while hearing a plea seeking a CBI probe into the murder, asked the SIT to file the status report of the investigation by 11 November.

The court has asked the SIT to explain in the report the details of the evidence that was collected from the resort site before it was bulldozed.

Bhandari was allegedly murdered by resort owner Pulkit Arya along with two of his employees by pushing him into the Chila canal near Rishikesh in September.

The SIT headed by Deputy Inspector General of Police P Renuka Devi is investigating the murder.

Ashutosh Negi, a resident of Pauri Garhwal, alleged in his petition that the police and the SIT were hiding important evidence of the case and Ankita's post-mortem report has not been made public yet.

The plea alleged that the post-mortem of the body was done without the presence of any lady doctor, in clear violation of the orders of the Supreme Court.

It has also been alleged in the petition that the victim was also abused but the police is hiding this fact.

Meanwhile, Ankita's parents, who were present in the High Court premises, said when asked by reporters that they were not satisfied with the SIT's investigation and were in favour of the CBI inquiry.

They also questioned the recent fire that broke out in the accused's Amla candy factory located in the resort premises and asked how it happened despite the presence of policemen and moreover the factory's electricity connection was cut.

Ankita's father Virendra Singh claimed that all this happened as part of a conspiracy to destroy the evidence.

He said that till his daughter gets justice and the killers are not hanged, he will continue his struggle even if he has to go to the Supreme Court.