Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Oct 15: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday urged President Droupadi Murmu to ask the government to reconsider the appointment of BJP leader Dushyant Gautam as Sikkim governor and defer his assumption of office until the CBI completes its investigation into the alleged VIP angle in the 2022 murder of Ankita Bhandari.
Gautam's appointment has triggered a political controversy in Uttarakhand, with the Congress questioning the timing of the decision and demanding answers about the alleged involvement of influential individuals in the murder of the 19-year-old resort receptionist.
In a letter to the President, Gandhi said he was approaching her as a “last resort” and urged her to invoke Article 74(1) of the Constitution to ask the government to reconsider its advice on the appointment. Gautam was appointed governor on Monday.
Gandhi argued that Gautam's appointment could complicate the investigation, claiming that constitutional immunity available to a sitting governor could prevent criminal proceedings from being instituted or continued against him during his tenure.
“Gautam’s appointment places him out of the reach of the CBI. An inquiry that can never result in prosecution is an inquiry in name only,” Gandhi said in the letter.
Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of failing to address concerns over women's safety, Gandhi questioned why the identities of the alleged VIPs linked to the case remained unknown nearly four years after Ankita's murder.
“Please act, provide solace to Ankita’s grieving parents and protect the high post of Governor,” he wrote, urging Murmu to ensure that Gautam did not assume office until the investigation into the alleged VIP connection was completed.
Gandhi met Ankita's parents at India Gate in New Delhi on Wednesday, where they were protesting against Gautam's appointment and demanding justice for their daughter. The family has alleged Gautam's involvement in the case, but the allegations do not by themselves establish any criminal role on his part.
Meanwhile, Congress workers staged a protest in Dehradun on Thursday against the appointment. Former Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat, former minister Harak Singh Rawat, and party leaders Pritam Singh, Ganesh Godiyal, Karan Mahara and Garima Dasauni were among those who participated.
“Ankita is our daughter. We will continue to fight for her, even if we have to be arrested,” Uttarakhand Congress president Ganesh Godiyal said, describing the appointment as an insult to Ankita and the people of the state.
Rawat said Ankita's parents had travelled to Delhi to seek justice and were detained by police during their protest. He maintained that the family was not alone in demanding answers about the alleged VIP connection.
Ankita worked as a receptionist at the Vanantra resort near Rishikesh. She was murdered on September 18, 2022, and her body was recovered from the Chilla canal four days later.
Her employer, Pulkit Arya, the son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya, allegedly pressured her to provide “special services” to VIP guests, a demand she refused, according to Gandhi's letter.
Pulkit Arya and two resort employees, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta, were arrested in connection with the murder. A special investigation team (SIT) was constituted and filed a chargesheet based on evidence and witness statements. In May 2023, a court in Kotdwar sentenced all three accused to life imprisonment for the murder.
However, questions surrounding the alleged VIP angle continued to draw political attention. Ankita's family and activists have demanded an investigation into the identities of the alleged VIP guests and allegations of evidence destruction.
The Uttarakhand government has cited the arrests, SIT investigation and subsequent court proceedings as evidence of action in the case. It has also referred to the Uttarakhand High Court's dismissal in December 2022 of a petition seeking a CBI investigation. The petition was filed by journalist Ashutosh Negi and later joined by Ankita's parents.
The SIT had told the court that it examined forensic material, video footage, recorded statements and call detail records. A medical panel at AIIMS Rishikesh conducted the post-mortem examination.
Following renewed protests across Uttarakhand, the state government transferred the investigation into the alleged VIP angle to the CBI in January 2026. The probe remains underway.
The latest controversy has renewed demands for transparency in the investigation, with the Congress insisting that the alleged VIP connection must be thoroughly examined and Ankita's family given answers.