The parents of Ankita Bhandari, the 19-year-old woman murdered in Uttarakhand in 2022, were released by Delhi Police around 5 am on Thursday, October 15, hours after being detained during a protest near India Gate. The family had been demanding that the appointment of senior BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam as Sikkim Governor be put on hold until the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) completes its probe into the alleged VIP angle in the murder case.

The overnight protest on Wednesday drew national attention after Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met Ankita’s parents and expressed support for their demand. Several Congress leaders and other protesters were also detained before being released.

Ankita’s father, Virendra Singh Bhandari, issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the Centre, demanding that Gautam’s appointment be cancelled. He warned that the family would launch a nationwide agitation if the government did not act. The parents have also appealed to President Droupadi Murmu to intervene and ensure that the investigation addresses their concerns.

The immediate trigger for the protest was Gautam’s appointment as Sikkim Governor on October 12. The family has alleged that he is linked to the unidentified VIP whose possible role in the circumstances surrounding Ankita’s death remains a subject of controversy. Gautam has denied the allegations and initiated defamation proceedings against those who have linked him to the case.

Ankita’s murder dates back to September 2022, when she was working as a receptionist at Vanantra Resort near Rishikesh in Uttarakhand’s Pauri Garhwal district. She went missing on September 18, and her body was recovered from a canal several days later. The investigation found that she had faced pressure to provide sexual services to guests at the resort, which she reportedly resisted.

Police arrested resort owner Pulkit Arya, son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya, along with two employees, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta. A court convicted all three men in May 2025 and sentenced them to life imprisonment. Their convictions established their responsibility for the murder, but the family has continued to seek answers about whether anyone else was involved.

The controversy centres on the alleged VIP angle. During the original investigation, questions emerged about whether an influential person had sought special services from Ankita. Her family has argued that the investigation should establish whether such a person played a role in the events leading to her death.

The allegations against Gautam gained renewed attention following claims made by actor Urmila Sanawar, who has alleged that a senior political leader was connected to the case. Gautam has rejected the accusations. The police Special Investigation Team had earlier said it found no evidence establishing the involvement of an influential leader in the murder.

In January 2026, after renewed protests in Uttarakhand, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami recommended a CBI investigation. The family wants the central agency to focus specifically on the alleged VIP connection and the motive behind the murder. It has also sought stronger oversight of the investigation.

The latest protest has brought the case back into the political spotlight. Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, criticised Gautam’s appointment and backed the family’s demand for the investigation to be completed before it proceeds. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also met the parents at India Gate.

The BJP, meanwhile, has defended the Uttarakhand government’s handling of the original case. Uttarakhand BJP president Mahendra Bhatt said the state government acted at every stage, from the arrest of the accused and formation of a Special Investigation Team to the prosecution. He also pointed to financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh provided to the family and said the government had responded to its request for a CBI probe.

The detention of Ankita’s parents has added another dimension to the dispute, with Congress questioning the police action against people demanding justice. Their release early Thursday has not resolved the underlying issue: the family wants the alleged VIP angle examined fully and transparently.