‘Their crime? Demanding justice’: Rahul Gandhi slams 4 AM detention of Ankita Bhandari’s parents
New Delhi/IBNS: Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has criticised the detention of Ankita Bhandari's parents, who were protesting at India Gate against the appointment of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam as Sikkim Governor.
The family has demanded that Gautam's appointment be put on hold until the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) completes its probe into the alleged VIP angle in their daughter's 2022 murder case.
चार साल से अंकिता भंडारी के परिवार को इंसाफ नहीं मिला, लेकिन एक ‘VIP’ आरोपी को संरक्षण और संवैधानिक पद का इनाम ज़रूर मिला। जहां बलात्कारियों और हत्यारों का फूल-मालाओं से स्वागत होता है और अपराधियों को सत्ता की ताकत से नवाज़ा जाता है - उस महिला-विरोधी BJP से कोई उम्मीद की भी नहीं जा सकती। आज, अंकिता के माता-पिता अपनी बच्ची के लिए न्याय की गुहार ले कर, अपने घर से मीलों दूर, India Gate पर बैठे हैं। मैं और कांग्रेस पार्टी उनके साथ खड़े हैं - उनके दुख में भी और इंसाफ की इस लड़ाई में भी। #JusticeForAnkitaBhandari
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 14, 2026
Gandhi criticised the early-morning detention, which took place at around 4 am on Thursday, October 15, after the family staged a peaceful protest in the national capital.
They were later released from Tilak Marg Police Station at around 5 AM on October 15.
Rahul Gandhi questions detention of Ankita's parents
In a post on X, Gandhi condemned the detention and expressed solidarity with the family.
"4 AM in the morning. While the world was asleep, Ankita Bhandari's parents were taken into custody. Their crime? They were sitting quietly at India Gate—with heavy shoulders, without any commotion, and simply demanding that Dushyant Gautam should not be made the Governor of Sikkim until the CBI investigation is complete," he wrote.
Gandhi had met Ankita's parents at India Gate on Wednesday evening, October 14, along with Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, expressing support for their demand for a thorough investigation.
The detention has brought renewed attention to the family's demand for accountability and a comprehensive investigation into the alleged VIP connection.
सुबह के 4 बजे। जब दुनिया सो रही थी, तब अंकिता भंडारी के माता-पिता को हिरासत में ले लिया गया। उनका गुनाह? वे इंडिया गेट पर चुपचाप बैठे थे - बोझिल कंधों के साथ, बिना किसी हंगामे के और सिर्फ़ इतना माँग रहे थे कि CBI जाँच पूरी होने तक दुष्यंत गौतम को सिक्किम का राज्यपाल न बनाया जाए। कल मैं और प्रियंका इन माता-पिता से मिले थे। जिस जाँच का नतीजा आया नहीं, उसके पहले ही नियुक्ति की जल्दी और सवाल पूछने वाले माँ-बाप को रात के अंधेरे में उठा लिया गया। इस सरकार की पहचान यही है: पीड़ितों की आवाज़ दबा दो, सवाल करने वालों को हटा दो। पर न्याय की लड़ाई न दबेगी, न रुकेगी। कांग्रेस अंकिता भंडारी के परिवार के साथ खड़ी है, और खड़ी रहेगी - जब तक उन्हें न्याय नहीं मिलता। #JusticeForAnkitaBhandari
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) October 15, 2026
What is the Ankita Bhandari murder case?
Ankita Bhandari, a 19-year-old receptionist at Vanantara Resort in Uttarakhand, was murdered in September 2022.
Her body was recovered from the Chilla canal, triggering widespread protests across the state.
Resort owner Pulkit Arya and two employees, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta, were convicted in the case and sentenced to life imprisonment in May 2025.
The prosecution alleged that Ankita had been pressured to provide sexual favours to a guest at the resort, and that a dispute over the demand preceded her murder.
The identity and alleged influence of the person referred to in public discussions as the “VIP” have since become the focus of renewed controversy.
Family seeks probe into alleged VIP angle
Despite the convictions, Ankita's parents have continued to demand a thorough investigation into the alleged VIP connection and have called for further action to establish whether anyone else was involved.
The CBI has taken up the investigation into the alleged VIP angle amid renewed public demands for answers.
Gautam has denied any links to the case and has initiated defamation proceedings against those accusing him of involvement.
The family's latest protest at India Gate followed Gautam's appointment as Governor of Sikkim, with the parents insisting that the investigation should be completed before he assumes the constitutional office.
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