In a long-awaited verdict, a court in Kotdwar, Uttarakhand has sentenced Pulkit Arya — son of expelled BJP leader Vinod Arya and owner of the Vanantara resort — and two resort employees, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta, to life imprisonment for the 2022 murder of Ankita Bhandari.
Ankita, a 19-year-old receptionist at the resort near Rishikesh, went missing in September 2022. Her body was later found in the Chilla canal. Investigations revealed she was pushed into the canal by the three accused after an altercation.
The case had triggered nationwide outrage, sparking widespread protests and demands for justice. In response, the Uttarakhand government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT),which led to the arrest and now conviction of all three involved.