On Friday, Uttarakhand court sentenced Pulkit Arya, the son of a former BJP chief, and two others, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta to life imprisonment for the 2022 homicide of 19-year-old receptionist Ankita Bhandari.
The Additional District and Sessions Court in Kotdwar also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on all three, who convicted earlier today of killing Ankita, who labored at the Vanantara Resort owned by Pulkit Arya in the Yamkeshwar city of Pauri district.
Ankita Bhandari Finally Get Justice
Ankita had gone missing on September 18, 2022. Days later, her body recovered from the Chilla canal, and the incident flashpoint over women’s safety, political influence, and justice delivery. Allegations of a botched early research and political defense cause public anger.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) filed a 500 page chargesheet, naming 97 witnesses, 47 of whom deposed during the trial that began on March 28, 2023.
Pulkit Arya and two different accused charged under Bharat Naya Sanhita sections 302 (murder), 201 (causing disappearance of proof), 354A (sexual harassment), and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act. Later, the Gangster Act also invoked against the 3 accused.
Life imprisonment to accused in murder case
Pulkit Arya, the son of now-suspended BJP leader Vinod Arya, accused of harassing Ankita Bhandari to provide ‘unique service’ to clients at the hotel. She gone in 2022. That nighttime, around 8 pm, she had move to Rishikesh with Pulkit Arya, hotel manager Saurabh Bhaskar, and some other worker, Ankit alias Pulkit Gupta.
On the way back, the group stopped close to a canal alongside Chila Road, wherein the three men consumed alcohol whilst Ankita waited. A heated argument occurs. Ankita had faced them over alleged illegal activities being run at the hotel and warned she could reveal them. Enraged, the trio drove her into the canal.
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