Ankita Bhandari Case: BJP, Congress Trade Barbs Over Investigation

(MENAFN- AsiaNet News)

Congress Accuses BJP of Suppressing Evidence

Congress MP KL Sharma on Saturday hit out at the BJP and said that the Dhami government here tried to suppress the evidence surfacing in the Ankita Bhandari case. "Wherever there is BJP, such things tend to happen. In the Ankita Bhandari case, agitations have spread across Uttarakhand, with people demanding justice for their daughter. The murder took place, yet the police did not take any action despite the evidence," he said. "The Dhami government used bulldozer action to destroy evidence, and now, after public pressure, the case is being handed over to the CBI," he added.

CM Dhami Hits Back, Alleges Politicisation

Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, addressing the closing ceremony of the first sports and cultural festival in Tehri Garhwal organised by the Thauldhar Cultural Development Committee, said attempts were made to politicise the case. "Some people did not hesitate to politicise the Ankita Bhandari case. By bringing up such emotional issues, they have tried to mislead the public," said Dhami.

Reiterating his government's support to the victim's family, the Chief Minister said swift action was taken after the incident came to light. "Our government stood with Ankita Bhandari's family and will continue to do so. As soon as we learned about the incident, we formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT)."

SIT Investigation Led to Conviction

Dhami further said that the SIT's investigation led to the accused's conviction. He stated that the SIT's rigorous investigation over 2-3 years led to the arrest of three individuals, who were sentenced to life imprisonment by the Kotdwar court in 2025.

CBI Probe Approved

The Chief Minister also said that Ankita Bhandari's parents had requested a CBI probe. "We have also given permission for a CBI investigation."

Controversy Over 'VIP' Involvement

This comes amid a controversy over the alleged involvement of a VIP in the case. Earlier, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi questioned the BJP over alleged protection for those responsible for the murder. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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