Three years after the Ankita Bhandari murder case, the court has convicted the three accused and sentenced them to life imprisonment. Pulkit Arya, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta were convicted in the case. The court complex has been declared a zero zone amid tight security arrangements.
Justice has been delivered three years following Ankita Bhandari's murder. The Kotdwar court has reached a verdict, convicting three individuals, including Pulkit Arya, and has sentenced them to life imprisonment.
Saurabh Bhaskar, Pulkit Arya, and Ankit Gupta were found guilty by the court and received life sentences. Ankita's body, which disappeared from Vantara Resort in Yamkeshwar on September 18, 2022, was discovered on September 24. Pulkit Arya is the son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya. The prosecution brought forth 47 witnesses during the trial.
Security measures have been increased at the court complex in Pauri Garhwal district, creating a cantonment-like environment due to significant police presence to uphold law and order. Pauri Senior Superintendent of Police, Lokeshwar Singh, stated that police forces have been stationed from both the district and external areas. The area within a 100-meter radius of the court premises has been designated as a zero zone, allowing entry only to government officials and individuals attending court proceedings.
He mentioned that police arrangements are in place, with personnel from both the local district and other districts being deployed. A 100-meter radius around the court premises has been designated as a restricted zone, where only government officials and individuals attending court are permitted entry. No unfamiliar individuals will be prevented from entering the court.
The incident took place in 2022
Ankita Bhandari, a resident of Pauri district, used to work at Vantantra Resort in Rishikesh. On September 18, 2022, resort owner Pulkit Arya and his associates Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit killed Ankita by pushing her into the barrage. Ankita Bhandari's body was recovered from Chilla canal in Rishikesh on September 24. She was reported missing for at least six days before authorities found her body. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Deputy Inspector General of Police P Renuka Devi was initially probing the case.
The initial hearing of the case took place on January 30, 2023, at the ADJ court in Kotdwar. Following the SIT investigation, the prosecution submitted a 500-page charge sheet in the murder case.
The prosecution's evidence started on March 28, 2023, after charges were established against the three defendants in this high-profile murder case: Pulkit Arya, owner of Vantantra Resort, along with his employees Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta. Throughout the trial, which spanned nearly two years and eight months, 47 witnesses, including the prosecutor, testified on behalf of the prosecution. Despite the SIT naming 97 witnesses in this case, only 47 key witnesses were presented in court.