Ankita Bhandari murder case: Court convicts all three accused to life imprisonment
The Additional District and Sessions Court (ADJ Court) located in Kotdwar pronounced its verdict today in the much talked about Ankita Bhandari murder case. The court has convicted the three accused resort owner Pulkit Arya, his employees Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta in the murder case. They have been convicted under sections 302, 201, 354. At the same time, the court has sentenced all three to life imprisonment. Along with this, the court also pronounced the decision to give a fine of Rs 50,000 to each and four lakh rupees to Ankita’s family.
The eyes of the people of entire Uttarakhand and the country were fixed on the court’s decision. For this, extensive security arrangements were made by the police administration in Kotdwar. Police force has been called to Kotdwar from various districts of Garhwal division. Barricades have been put up on the roads outside the court premises.
On May 19, the hearing was concluded by the prosecution advocate Special Public Prosecutor Avnish Negi responding to the arguments of the defense. After hearing the arguments of both the parties, the court had fixed May 30 as the date for pronouncement of the verdict. The first hearing of the case began on January 30, 2023 in the ADJ Court at Kotdwar. After the SIT investigation, a 500-page chargesheet was filed in the court by the prosecution.
After the charges were framed against the three murder accused, Vanantra Resort owner Pulkit Arya, his employees Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta, the testimony of the prosecution started from March 28, 2023. In the hearing that lasted for about two years and eight months, 47 witnesses including the investigator were examined in the court on behalf of the prosecution.
This is the background of the case
Ankita Bhandari was murdered in September 2022, which shook the whole country. She was working as a receptionist in Pulkit Arya’s resort. Ankita Bhandari was accused of being pressured to engage in illegal activities. She was murdered for protesting. Regarding this case, the eyes of the people of the whole country including Uttarakhand were fixed on today’s decision. This decision of the court has brought relief to Ankita’s family and society. However, Ankita Bhandari’s parents were demanding death penalty for the daughter’s killers.
Ankita, receptionist at Pulkit Arya’s resort
Ankita Bhandari worked as a receptionist at Vanantra Resort located in Yamkeshwar in her home district Pauri Garhwal district. 19-year-old Ankita was murdered on 18 September 2022 by resort operator Pulkit Arya along with his two employees Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta. These three were arrested on 23 September. On 24 September, on the information given by these three, the body of Ankita was recovered from the Cheela canal of Rishikesh.
