The murder of 24‑year‑old Ankita Bhandari in 2022 at Vanantara Resort near Rishikesh set a grim benchmark for the region. Within a day of the incident, police under DIG V Murugesan nabbed all three suspects—Pulkit Arya, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta—showing a swift response that rattled local communities.
Prompted by the Chief Minister’s directive, a Special Investigation Team was convened almost immediately. A woman IPS officer of DIG rank took the helm, coordinating digital, forensic and physical evidence collection while ensuring witness statements were logged in real time.
The team closed its inquiry in 88 days, producing a 500‑page chargesheet that the court accepted on May 30, 2025. The document detailed interrogations, forensic reports and corroborating testimonies that left no room for doubt.
The Additional District and Sessions Court in Kotdwar delivered a verdict that mirrored the gravity of the crime, sentencing all three to rigorous imprisonment for life. The sentences now serve as a reminder to the region that justice can be swift and uncompromising.
For the Bhandari family, the conviction brings a bittersweet closure; her mother, who spent years in hospital waiting rooms, now watches the guards escort the men to their cells. The state’s rapid legal turnaround is hailed as a benchmark for criminal investigations across India.