A court in Uttarakhand on Friday sentenced Pulkit Arya — son of a now-suspended BJP leader — and two others to life imprisonment for the 2022 murder of 19-year-old receptionist Ankita Bhandari.

The Additional District and Sessions Court in Kotdwar also imposed a fine of ₹50,000 on each convict — Arya, resort manager Saurabh Bhaskar, and employee Ankit Gupta — who were found guilty of pushing Bhandari into a canal after she resisted pressure to provide “special services” to guests at Vanantara Resort, owned by Arya in the Yamkeshwar area, reported Indian Today.

Bhandari was reported missing on Sep. 18, 2022. Her body was recovered days later from the Chilla canal, sparking nationwide outrage. The case drew attention not only because of its brutality but also due to allegations of political shielding and a delayed investigation.

According to the police, Bhandari had threatened to expose illegal activities at the resort. On the evening of her disappearance, she was taken to Rishikesh by the three men. A confrontation on the return journey led to her being pushed into the canal.

A Special Investigation Team filed a 500-page chargesheet with 97 witnesses, 47 of whom testified during the trial that began in March 2023.

Ahead of the verdict, Bhandari’s mother appealed for the death penalty, but the court awarded life sentences under charges including murder, destruction of evidence, sexual harassment, and trafficking-related offenses, the report added.

Public outrage remains intense, as citizens continue to demand stronger protections for women and accountability for the powerful.

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