Ankita Bhandari case: Sikkim opposition protests Dushyant Gautam’s appointment as Governor

Opposition parties in Sikkim have objected to the appointment of senior BJP leader Dushyant Gautam as the state’s Governor, citing allegations linking him to the alleged VIP angle in the 2022 murder of Uttarakhand hotel receptionist Ankita Bhandari.

The Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) described the appointment as an “insult” to Sikkimese women, while the Congress staged a protest in Gangtok on October 17, demanding that Gautam’s appointment be revoked until the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) completes its probe into the case.

President Droupadi Murmu appointed Gautam, a former BJP national general secretary, as Governor of Sikkim on October 12. His appointment has triggered protests and criticism in Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Delhi.

In a video statement, SDF women’s wing in-charge Komal Chamling said the party stood with Bhandari’s parents and called for Gautam’s appointment to be withdrawn until the investigation is completed.

“We would like to make our stand very, very clear that we stand with Ankita Bhandari’s parents,” Chamling said.

Questioning the Centre’s decision, she asked whether it believed the people of Sikkim would accept decisions imposed on them without raising their voices. She also expressed concern over the implications of the appointment in a geopolitically sensitive border state.

Chamling further questioned the frequent changes in the gubernatorial post, noting that Sikkim had seen four Governors in the past seven years. She said Gautam should not be assigned gubernatorial responsibilities in any state until the CBI investigation was completed.

Congress Seeks Recall of Appointment

The Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee (SPCC) staged a protest at the district court premises in Gangtok on Friday, demanding the cancellation of Gautam’s appointment pending the outcome of the investigation.

SPCC president Gopal Chettri called on the people of Sikkim to raise their concerns and demanded that the questions raised by Bhandari’s parents be addressed.

Chettri also criticised Gautam’s appointment to the constitutional post and called for it to be revoked.

Meanwhile, the Sikkim University Students’ Association (SUSA) urged the government to reconsider the appointment, calling for greater scrutiny of the background and public record of individuals selected for important constitutional positions.

Alleged VIP Angle in Ankita Bhandari Case

Ankita Bhandari, 19, worked as a receptionist at Vanantra Resort in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. She was killed on September 18, 2022. Resort owner Pulkit Arya, son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya, and two accomplices were convicted in the case and sentenced to life imprisonment.

The case drew widespread attention over allegations that an unidentified VIP had sought sexual favours from Bhandari. Her family and activists have since demanded that this alleged angle be investigated.

Gautam’s name has been raised in connection with these allegations, but he has denied them and initiated defamation proceedings against those making the claims. The allegations against him have not been established in court.

Bhandari’s parents, who were sitting in protest at India Gate in New Delhi on Wednesday, were detained early the following day and released after about an hour.

Separately, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi wrote to President Droupadi Murmu, arguing that the constitutional immunity available to a Governor could place Gautam beyond the reach of criminal proceedings while in office, potentially affecting the CBI investigation.

The CBI probe and the questions raised by Bhandari’s family remain central to the controversy surrounding Gautam’s appointment.