On Wednesday, parents of 19‑year‑old Ankita Bhandari lined the marble plinth of India Gate, clutching placards that read, ‘Hold Gautam’s appointment until the CBI finishes its probe.’ The protest erupted after the central government named former BJP chief Dushyant Kumar Gautam as the new governor of Sikkim, a decision that the family says must be paused while the investigation into their daughter’s murder remains open.
Ankita, a receptionist at Vanantra Resort in Rishikesh, was found dead on September 18, 2022, and her body was recovered from the Chilla canal four days later. Resort owner Pulkit Arya, the son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya, and two associates were convicted and handed life sentences for the murder.
The family alleges that a ‘VIP’ orchestrated the killing, pointing to Gautam as the suspect; Gautam has vehemently denied the accusations and filed defamation suits against the activists.
Uttarakhand Congress has called the appointment a cover‑up, arguing that a governor with pending criminal investigations should not hold office. The party also warned that the move could undermine public trust in the state’s administration.
Ankita’s father has requested a meeting with President Droupadi Murmu to discuss the issue, while the mother threatened a hunger strike outside the Uttarakhand chief minister’s office if the demand is not met. The family’s next move hinges on the central government’s response within the next 48 hours.