Ankita Bhandari’s parents detained during protest against Gautam’s appointment
publishers 19articles 24first reported 14 Oct, 16:45 UTCdeveloping since 14 Oct · 9 editions
Delhi Police briefly detained Ankita Bhandari’s parents and several Congress figures early Thursday during a sit-in near India Gate opposing Dushyant Kumar Gautam’s appointment as governor of Sikkim. Virendra Bhandari and Soni Devi were later released.
The family is seeking a halt to Gautam’s appointment until a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into allegations surrounding their daughter’s 2022 murder is completed. They allege Gautam was the unidentified “VIP” whom Ankita was allegedly pressured to serve while working at the Vanantara Resort near Rishikesh. Gautam has denied any involvement and pursued defamation proceedings against people and political parties linking him to the case.
Soni Devi said she would begin a hunger strike from home if the appointment was not revoked. Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other Congress leaders had joined the protest on Wednesday. Rahul Gandhi later accused the government of silencing victims, while the Congress alleged that Gautam’s appointment was intended to shield him.
Ankita, 19, disappeared in September 2022 and was found dead in a canal days later. Resort owner Pulkit Arya, manager Saurabh Bhaskar and assistant manager Ankit Gupta were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in May 2025. A police special investigation team previously said it found no evidence implicating an influential leader.
Uttarakhand BJP president Mahendra Bhatt rejected the Congress allegations as politically motivated, saying the state government acted swiftly, secured the convictions and initiated the CBI process at the family’s request.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 4 articles, 4 with the publisher's own text; 3 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 18 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
- Publishers
- 19
- Source articles
- 24
- Given to the writer
- 4, 4 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 3
- This version written
- 18 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
WHAT THE EDITOR DID
The second model checked the writer's draft against the same sources and published it as written.
Written by a language model from the sources above, then checked by a second model that may only cut, attribute or correct. How it works →