Ankita Bhandari murder case: Resort owner, 2 associates convicted; sentencing awaited

NEW DELHI: A sessions court in Kotdwar, Uttarakhand, on Friday convicted resort owner Pulkit Arya and his two associates, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta, in the Ankita Bhandari murder case.The court is yet to pronounce the sentence.Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADJ) court held the trio guilty under relevant sections of the IPC. Ankita’s lawyer, Ajay Pant, confirmed the conviction while speaking to ANI, stating that sentencing will be announced soon.‘May they get death penalty’: Ankita’s mother breaks downAhead of the verdict, Ankita’s mother Soni Devi had broken down in front of reporters and urged the people of Uttarakhand to continue supporting their demand for the harshest punishment.

“May the criminals be sentenced to death… I appeal to the public of Uttarakhand to keep supporting us and come to the Kotdwar court to boost our morale,” she told ANI.Security was tightened in and around the ADJ court in Kotdwar, with heavy police deployment. Pauri SSP Lokeshwar Singh said a 100-metre area around the court had been declared a zero zone, allowing only court attendees and officials inside.Ankita Bhandari (19), a receptionist at Vanantra Resort in Rishikesh, went missing on September 18, 2022.

Six days later, her body was recovered from the Chilla canal. The case triggered widespread outrage after reports surfaced that Ankita was being pressured to provide "special services" to resort guests.Following a probe led initially by an SIT under DIG P Renuka Devi, a 500-page chargesheet was filed. The first hearing began on January 30, 2023. Charges were framed against the three accused, and trial began on March 28, 2023. Out of 97 witnesses listed, the court examined 47 during the nearly two-year-long trial.