Viral audio clip reignites Ankita Bhandari murder case, triggers protests

India Jan 07, 2026

A new audio clip claiming a "VIP" was involved in Ankita Bhandari's 2022 murder has gone viral, leading to protests in Uttarakhand and Delhi.
The recording names BJP leader Dushyant Gautam as the alleged VIP.

Where the case stands now

Congress is pushing for a CBI probe, while Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has promised to meet Ankita's family and ordered a fresh SIT probe to investigate the audio clip.
Gautam denies any role and has filed a defamation suit against those spreading the claims.
Meanwhile, Pulkit Arya (resort owner) and two others were already convicted last year for Ankita's murder and are serving life sentences—verdicts upheld by higher courts.