In Brief
- Parents Virendra Singh Bhandari and Soni Devi contend that assuming office as Governor would grant Gautam constitutional immunity under Article 361, potentially impeding future legal proceedings.
- The family, joined by senior opposition leaders at India Gate in New Delhi, issued a 24-hour ultimatum demanding the appointment be put on hold before staging further demonstrations.
- Dushyant Kumar Gautam has consistently denied any link to the crime, terming the allegations malicious and initiating legal defamation proceedings against those linking him to the case.
The ongoing fallout from the September 2022 murder of receptionist Ankita Bhandari resurfaced in the national capital as her parents staged a demonstration at India Gate, urging President Droupadi Murmu to defer the appointment of BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam as the Governor of Sikkim.
The victim's parents, Virendra Singh Bhandari and Soni Devi, expressed deep concern over the October 12 presidential notification naming Gautam as Governor. They argue that granting him constitutional office would afford him immunity under Article 361 of the Constitution, thereby shielding him from legal scrutiny while the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) continues to examine the unproven "VIP angle" associated with the case. Although three individuals—including resort owner Pulkit Arya—were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for Ankita's murder, public demands persist to identify an alleged influential figure mentioned during initial inquiries.
Opposition figures, including Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and senior Congress leaders, joined the family during their evening vigil at India Gate to express solidarity. Police briefly detained the parents and several accompanying activists overnight before releasing them early Thursday morning.
Gautam has forcefully rejected all allegations tying him to the crime, pointing out that the Delhi High Court previously restrained political entities from publishing unsubstantiated statements linking him to the murder. As the family issues a 24-hour ultimatum to the central government, regional political groups in Uttarakhand continue to call for absolute clarity from investigating agencies before gubernatorial oaths are administered.
