Uttarakhand HC Rejects Bail Plea Of Main Accused In Ankita Bhandari Murder Case

During the hearing in the Uttarakhand High Court, Bhandari's family alleged that the resort was vandalised by the accused to destroy evidence.

Ankita Bhandari body was recovered from Chilla canal 6 days after she had gone missing. ( Image Source :X/@BhavikaKapoor5 )

The Uttarakhand High Court has rejected the bail petition of Pulkit Arya, the main accused in the murder of a resort receptionist, Ankita Bhandari. Holding that the crime was serious, a single bench of Justice Ravindra Maithani said testimonies in the lower court affirmed the presence of all the accused at the location during the incident, according to ANI.

During the hearing, Bhandari’s family alleged that the resort was vandalised by the accused to destroy evidence. The resort's CCTV cameras were switched off, and the DVR was tampered with, as reported by ANI.

It was alleged that crucial evidence related to the crime was destroyed on the instructions of Yamkeshwar MLA Renu Bisht by using a bulldozer at Vanantra Resort.

Earlier this year, the Uttarakhand High Court had rejected a petition for a CBI inquiry in the murder case.

Bhandari, 19, was allegedly killed by Arya, the director of Vanantra Resort in Uttarakhand's Pauri district and the son of a former BJP leader, and two of his employees last September. The body was then thrown into the Chilla canal by the three accused, who have been arrested.

The woman worked as a receptionist at the Vanantara resort. Bhandari’s body was recovered from the canal by a Special Investigation Team on September 24 after she had gone missing for at least six days.

Police said Arya killed Bhandari after she refused to provide "extra service" to a VIP customer, who is yet to be identified.

Bhandari's father had alleged that his daughter was being forced into prostitution by her employers, The Hindu had reported. "She was being forced to give 'special service' to a high profile guest," he had alleged previously.

The incident triggered widespread anger among the locals and others, leading to protests in different parts of the state demanding action against the accused.