By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
The much-publicized Ankita Bhandari murder case has continuously provoked outrage across Uttarakhand despite the May 30 verdict by a local court which sentenced three persons including Pulkit Arya, a resort owner, to life imprisonment.
More than six months after the verdict, Uttarakhand Congress President Ganesh Godiyal on Tuesday held a press conference in New Delhi to seek a CBI probe in the Anjkita Bhandari case amid new allegations that a senior leader was also involved. “This case should be reopened. We demand a CBI probe under a sitting or a retired Supreme Court judge in the case,” said Godiyal.
Earlier, Urmila Sanwar who claims to be wife of former BJP MLA Suresh Rathore through a social media video has revealed that a person known as Gattu was allegedly involved in the murder case, a charge that never surfaced in the investigations.
In the video that has gone viral on social media, Sanwar, an actress, has further alleged that Gattu, a VIP, was present at Vantara Resort in Yamkeshwar area of Pauri district when the 19-year-old Ankita was murdered on Sept 18, 2022, Godiyal claimed.
Senior vice president of state Congress Suryakant Dhasmana also demanded that the real identity of Gattu should be revealed through a SIT probe.
A Kotdwar court on May 30 sentenced main accused Pulkit Arya, son of a former BJP leader, and two others to rigorous life imprisonment.
Rathore was expelled from the ruling BJP for six years for allegedly marrying second time with Sanwar without divorcing the first wife in the complete contravention of the Uttarakhand Civil Code (UCC).
Rathore, a former BJP MLA from Jawalapur in Haridwar district, was expelled after he publicly introduced his alleged second wife Sanwar, an actress, but later described the story as totally filmy. He said he widely shared images of what appeared to be his wedding were actually scenes from a film he is producing starring Urmila Sanwar.
After the video of Sanwar went viral, many netizens started demanding action against Gattu.
Meanwhile, a group of Congress workers in Dehradun took out a protest march demanding renewed action in the Ankita Bhandari case.