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CBI questions Urmila Sanawar in connection with Ankita Bhandari murder case
In Short
A four-member CBI team, including a woman officer, reached Sanawar's residence to question her regarding the high-profile case.
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Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team investigating the Ankita Bhandari murder case
New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team investigating the Ankita Bhandari murder case reached the residence of Urmila Sanawar, the alleged wife of former BJP MLA Suresh Rathore, in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur on Sunday.
A four-member CBI team, including a woman officer, reached Sanawar's residence to question her regarding the high-profile case.
Earlier this week, Sanawar had participated in a press conference in New Delhi, alongside Bhandari's parents.
Sanawar, through a video message, had also demanded that the CBI must interrogate her in the presence of the media since the investigation is not happening under the watch of a sitting Supreme Court judge.
This comes a day after the CBI questioned former BJP MLA Rathore at the Shivalik Guest House in Uttarakhand's Haridwar.
The CBI took over the probe into the Ankita Bhandari murder case in February this year. Its Delhi-based Special Crime Branch had registered a case against an "unknown VIP" in connection with the matter.
The case had returned to the spotlight early this year after viral audio clips and videos surfaced involving Sanawar.
During a Facebook Live session, Sanawar made references to the alleged involvement of a VIP in the murder, triggering fresh controversy and public debate.
These developments led to heightened political tensions, with Opposition parties and several organisations renewing demands for a CBI enquiry into the case.
Responding to the growing pressure and to address public concerns, the Uttarakhand government moved swiftly to ensure transparency. On January 9, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami formally recommended a CBI investigation.
The murder of Bhandari, a 19-year-old receptionist, sparked widespread outrage across Uttarakhand in 2022. She was working as a receptionist at the Vanantra Resort when she was murdered on September 18, 2022. Her body was dumped in the Chilla Shakti Canal and recovered nearly a week later.
Following an extensive investigation by a Special Investigation Team, a 500-page charge sheet was filed in the case, naming 97 witnesses, out of whom 47 testified before the court.
The prime accused, Pulkit Arya, the owner of Vanantra Resort, along with co-accused Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta, were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. Arya was found guilty on multiple serious charges, including murder, tampering with evidence, harassment, and immoral trafficking.
Meanwhile, several activists and the Congress have been organising protests in Uttarakhand and Delhi over the appointment of BJP leader Dushyant Gautam as the Governor of Sikkim.
Earlier this week, Bhandari's parents staged a sit-in at India Gate, demanding a stop to Gautam's appointment as Governor. Later, along with Garhwal BJP MP Anil Baluni, they met the CBI officials.
Bhandari's parents have also demanded that the government put the appointment on hold till the CBI probe is underway. They have urged the government to work towards ensuring that all those guilty of their daughter's murder face strict punishment.
