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Former Uttarakhand BJP MLA Suresh Rathore on Saturday said he has fully cooperated with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) during questioning in connection with the Ankita Bhandari case, adding that he had shared all relevant information with the agency.
This comes after a CBI team reached the residence of Rathore in connection with the Ankita Bhandari case. Speaking to reporters in Haridwar, Rathore said, I cooperated with the investigationnothing more, nothing less. I have no further comment. I have no further comment. We provided full cooperation to the CBI during their questioning...I have shared everything relevant to the investigation. I have extended my full cooperation and will continue to do so...As for Urmila Sanawar, I know nothing about her. I have no idea who she is. I know nothing at all", Rathore said. The development came a day after Ankita Bhandaris parents, accompanied by MP Anil Baluni, met the CBI Director in Delhi. On Friday, parents of Ankita Bhandari met with senior officials at the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) headquarters and provided information regarding various aspects of the case. The CBI officials assured them that the investigation would be conducted in a fair and impartial manner, with a thorough examination of every aspect of the case. This comes amid the row over the alleged involvement of a "VIP" in Ankita Bhandari's murder case, which has escalated following the appointment of former BJP Uttarakhand in-charge Dushyant Gautam as the Governor of Sikkim. Additional Director General of Police (Crime and Law & Order), Uttarakhand, V Murugesan, on Thursday said police acted promptly in the Ankita Bhandari murder case and arrested all three accused within 24 hours of the incident. Earlier, Ankita Bhandari's parents staged a sit-in at the India Gate in Delhi to oppose the appointment of Dushyant Kumar Gautam until the ongoing CBI probe is fully concluded. The parents were detained by the police and later released from Tilak Marg Police Station. The row is linked to the September 2022 murder of Ankita Bhandari, a receptionist at a resort near Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. Her family has objected to any individual whose name surfaced during the investigation being appointed to constitutional office without being cleared by investigative agencies. She was murdered on September 18, 2022, and her body was recovered from the Chilla Canal on September 24, 2022. The resort owner Pulkit Arya (son of expelled BJP leader Vinod Arya) and two staff members, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta, were arrested, chargesheeted and on May 30, 2025, sentenced to life imprisonment by Additional District Judge Reena Negi in Kotdwar for murder, destruction of evidence and other charges. Allegations of VIP involvement have surfaced in public discourse since the murder. The SIT probe mentioned "VIP" in relation to a room, but police stated the conviction was based on evidence against the three accused. Ankita Bhandaris parents have long demanded the identity of the "VIP" guest mentioned in the case, alleging that powerful individuals have been shielded throughout the investigation. They argue that elevating a leader associated with such allegations to a high constitutional office undermines the pursuit of justice. (ANI)
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