Resort operator among three convicted for murder of Ankita Bhandari

A court in Kotdwar on Friday, 30 May, sentenced a resort operator and his two employees to rigorous life imprisonment in the 2022 Ankita Bhandari murder case.

Bhandari (19), who worked as a receptionist at Vanantra Resort located in Yamkeshwar of Pauri district, was murdered on 18 September 2022 by resort operator Pulkit Arya and his two employees Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta.

Additional district and sessions judge Reena Negi also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on all three convicts, prosecution lawyer Ajay Pant said.

According to the prosecution, Bhandari and Arya had a dispute over something after which the three pushed the woman into the Cheela canal in Rishikesh.

After her body was found from the canal, the police arrested all three.

Pulkit Arya is the son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya. As soon as the matter came to light, the party showed the door to Vinod Arya.

The murder had triggered protests by locals following which the state government formed a special investigation team to probe it.

The hearing of the case lasted for two years and eight months and during this period 47 witnesses, were examined.