Ankita Bhandari Murder: SIT Probing From Every Angle, Investigation Won't Be Influenced, Says CM Dhami

The deceased's father said that he will cremate his daughter only after receiving the final post-mortem reports.

New Delhi: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday said the Special Investigation Team (SIT) is probing the Ankita Bhandari murder case from every angle and investigation will not be influenced, news agency ANI reported. He said that all the evidence related to this case is safe and he would ensure there is no attempt to tamper with it.

CM Dhami also praised the deceased’s father and said, "I salute Ankita Bhandari's father that after the heinous crime with his daughter, he is trying to move on with the investigation. I am in constant talks with the family and his father and the family members have agreed with the action.”

"This case will be heard by fast-track court because the daughter of Uttarakhand should get justice at the earliest. We will request the Hon'ble High Court that a separate court should be constituted for this so that the culprits get severe punishment," Dhami said.

The SIT on Sunday told ANI that Ankita’s WhatsApp chats were also being probed.

Earlier on Saturday, father of the 19-year-old resort receptionist, whose body was recovered from the Chilla canal in Uttarakhand's Rishikesh, said that he will cremate his daughter only after receiving the final post-mortem reports.

"I will cremate my daughter only after I get the final post-mortem report. The CM has told me that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted and the case will be tried in a fast-track court," Ankita’s father said.

Notably, three persons, including Pulkit Arya, were arrested on Friday after they confessed to having pushed Ankita into the canal after an altercation.

A resort staffer on Saturday also alleged that Ankita had called him crying on September 17 and asked him to take her bags out of the resort.

He also claimed that owner Pulkit Arya's brother Ankit Arya had called him at 8 pm on September 18 and asked him to prepare dinner for four people and said he would have dinner in Ankita's room.

Earlier on Saturday, the Vanatara resort in Rishikesh, owned by expelled BJP leader Vinod Arya's son Pulkit Arya, was set on fire by angry locals.