Ex-MLA Booked For Social Media Smear In Ankita Bhandari Murder Case Fallout

The complaint alleges Rathore seeks dominance over Ravidas Mahapeeth by spreading false information. Police are investigating the claims, amidst political uproar over Sanawar's viral content.

Ex-MLA Suresh Rathore and Urmila Sanawar face charges for allegedly defaming BJP leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam on social media, linked to the Ankita Bhandari murder case.

Source : Social Media

Show Quick Read

Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

Haridwar, Dec 25 (PTI) A case has been registered against former MLA Suresh Rathore and a woman claiming to be his wife for allegedly tarnishing the reputation of a BJP leader through social media in connection with the Ankita Bhandari murder case in Uttarakhand.

Police said on Thursday that the case was registered against Rathore and Urmila Sanawar late Wednesday night at Bahadrabad police station here on a complaint filed by Dharmendra Kumar, the state president of Shiromani Guru Ravidas Vishwa Mahapeeth.

The complaint said, "False statements based on misleading facts are being made on social media by Rathore and Sanawar against Dushyant Kumar Gautam, the international president of Shiromani Guru Ravidas Vishwa Mahapeeth and president of Sant Shiromani Guru Ravidas Akhara Bharat, with the intention of tarnishing his social image." According to the complaint, Rathore, a former MLA from Jwalapur who has been expelled from the BJP, wants to establish his dominance over the Ravidas Mahapeeth, and therefore he and Sanawar are trying to tarnish Gautam's image by making baseless allegations against him. The complaint requests legal action against both, alleging that their actions have hurt the sentiments of the Ravidas community and are spreading animosity.

Bahadrabad police station in-charge Ankur Sharma said that the allegations made in the case are being investigated, and further action will be taken based on the facts that emerge during the investigation.

Sanawar's videos and alleged audio conversations with Rathore, which are going viral on social media regarding a 'VIP' in the Ankita Bhandari murder case, have created a stir in Uttarakhand politics. While the Congress party is demanding a CBI inquiry into the entire matter, supervised by a sitting or retired Supreme Court judge, to reveal the identity of the 'VIP', the BJP is trying to distance itself from the allegations by portraying Sanawar as a woman involved in suspicious social activities.

Nineteen-year-old Ankita, who worked as a receptionist at a resort in Yamkeshwar in Pauri district, was murdered in 2022 by the resort owner, Pulkit Arya, along with two of his associates. All three accused have been sentenced to life imprisonment in this case. 

(Disclaimer: This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)