A Kotdwar court just gave Pulkit Arya (resort owner, son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya), Saurabh Bhaskar (resort manager), Ankit Gupta (assistant resort manager) life in prison for killing Ankita Bhandari, a 19-year-old resort worker, in 2022.
The court also fined them Rs 50,000 each for murder and hiding evidence.
Ankita worked as a receptionist at Vanantara Resort in Uttarakhand’s Pauri district.
She went missing on September 18, 2022, and her body was found in the Chilla canal six days later.
Police said the accused pressured her to give “special services” to guests.
When she refused, they pushed her into the canal, which led to her death.
The main accused, Pulkit Arya, is the son of a former BJP minister.
This link to politics made the case blow up and get a lot of media attention.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by a female IPS officer was formed to look into the crime.
The chargesheet filed was 500 pages long and listed 97 witnesses.
Out of those 97, 47 people gave statements in court.
The trial started in March 2023 and lasted almost two years.
Ankita’s mother, Soni Devi, told reporters: “May the criminals be sentenced to death… I appeal to the public of Uttarakhand to keep supporting us”.
Many people wanted a harsher punishment than life in prison.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami called Ankita a “daughter and sister of the mountains” on social media.
He said the state was “extremely saddened” and wanted justice for her.
Congress leaders protested, saying there might be a “VIP link” not yet exposed.
They said Ankita hinted at this in her chats with friends, but police did not find proof.
The court found the three guilty under IPC sections 302 (murder), 201 (hiding evidence), 120B (conspiracy), and 354A (sexual harassment).
They were also charged under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act.
Security was tight at the court, with police making a 100-meter “zero zone” around it.
Only court staff and attendees were allowed inside during the verdict.
The case became a national talking point about women’s safety and justice.
People were angry about slow investigations and possible political influence.
The verdict is seen as a big step for justice, but many feel there is more to the story.
Ankita’s family and supporters are still pushing for answers about the so-called “VIP link”.
Ankita’s death shook Uttarakhand and made people demand better safety for women workers.
The case shows how tough it is to get justice, but also how public pressure can help.
