Ankita Bhandari’s parents were released around 5 a.m. on Thursday after Delhi Police detained them during an overnight protest near India Gate.
Virendra Singh Bhandari and Soni Devi want President Droupadi Murmu to pause the appointment of Dushyant Kumar Gautam as Governor of Sikkim. They say the appointment should wait until the CBI finishes its inquiry into the alleged “VIP” link in their daughter’s murder. Ankita Bhandari was 19. She was killed in Uttarakhand in 2022.
## What is allegation, and what is on the record
The Hindu reports that a court has already convicted her employer, Pulkit Arya, and two aides. The investigation found she was murdered after she refused to provide “special services” to a VIP who was due at the resort. Her parents allege that Mr. Gautam, a former BJP general secretary, was that VIP, and that his influence kept his name out of the investigation.
Mr. Gautam denies the allegation. He has started defamation proceedings. The allegation is not a finding. A news report should not call him guilty.
The Congress says the appointment is meant to shield him, because a sitting governor is protected from criminal proceedings. That is the party’s argument. It is not a court ruling. Mr. Gautam was appointed Governor of Sikkim on Monday.
## Who met the family
On Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra met the parents at the sit-in. Activist Yogita Bhayana was also with the family, according to a PTI photograph published by The New Indian Express. Police later detained the parents and released them around 5 a.m., sources told that paper.
## What the family is asking for
They are not asking the press to retry the murder. They are asking that the governor’s appointment wait until the CBI inquiry into the VIP claim is finished. Until that inquiry reports, the honest sentence is this: the family has made a serious allegation, and the man they named rejects it.
The New Indian Express report: https://www.newindianexpress.com/india/2026/Oct/15/ankita-bhandaris-parents-released-hours-after-detention-during-india-gate-protest
## FAQ
### Why were Ankita Bhandari’s parents at India Gate?
They were sitting in protest against Dushyant Kumar Gautam’s appointment as Governor of Sikkim. They want it paused until the CBI completes its probe.
### Were they kept in custody?
No. Police detained them during the night and released them around 5 a.m. on 15 October 2026.
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