NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe announced in the 2022 Ankita Bhandari murder case projected by the Uttarakhand government as a step toward justice has instead intensified anguish for the victim’s family and reignited public fury across the hill state.
Leaders of the Justice for Ankita Bhandari movement have rejected the state government’s proposal, alleging that the terms of the CBI inquiry lack clarity and independence, and warning that the process risks becoming another instrument to bury uncomfortable truths.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, who announced the CBI inquiry amid mounting pressure, now finds himself at the centre of a political and moral storm. Fresh video leaks that surfaced last month triggered massive protests, with demonstrators gheraoing BJP leaders and targeting the Chief Minister directly.
Protesters accused the government of attempting to divert attention from key questions surrounding the case, an effort they say has failed to quell public anger.
Ankita Bhandari, a young woman employed at a private resort near Rishikesh was brutally murdered under circumstances that continue to raise serious concerns. The resort was owned by an influential figure said to enjoy proximity to the ruling establishment, an aspect that has fueled allegations of political shielding and selective accountability.
Activists and opposition leaders argue that the government’s actions since the crime point to a systematic attempt to protect powerful people who wanted to exploit the young girl.
Senior legal experts have also raised red flags. According to the family’s lawyers, the government’s announcement of a CBI probe does not spell out clear terms and conditions, including the scope of investigation or safeguards to ensure independence.
Senior Supreme Court advocate Colin Gonsalves has publicly stated that any CBI investigation in the case must be monitored by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court to inspire public confidence.
He has further questioned the alleged destruction of evidence, contending that orders emanating from the highest levels of the state administration must themselves be scrutinised.
The victim’s family has gone a step further, demanding that the Chief Minister, local BJP MLA Renu Bist along with all concerned police and civil officials, be brought within the ambit of the investigation.
Family representatives argue that without examining the role of those in authority, the probe will remain incomplete. Activists claim that crucial names and details are being suppressed, and insist that accountability must extend to all those who may have facilitated or covered up the crime.
At the heart of the protests lies a grave allegation: that Ankita was targeted after resisting pressure for sexual favours allegedly linked to powerful “VIP” individuals. While these claims are yet to be judicially established, the perception of a compromised investigation has galvanised public opinion in Uttarakhand, cutting across party lines and social groups.
As protests continue and political temperatures rise, the demand from the streets is unambiguous justice that is not merely promised, but seen to be done. Whether the proposed CBI probe, restructured with court supervision and broader accountability, can restore trust remains the central question confronting the Dhami government.
[Writer is Senior Journalist and Political Commentator]
Picture credit social media
Umakant Lakhera is a Senior Journalist and Political Commentator
