The Ankita Bhandari murder case has violently resurfaced in Uttarakhand's political landscape, putting the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the defensive. The fresh controversy stems from explosive allegations made by Urmila Sanawar, a woman who identifies herself as the second wife of former BJP MLA Suresh Rathore. She has directly implicated senior party leader and national secretary Dushyant Gautam in the 2022 killing of the 19-year-old receptionist.
The Core Allegation: A VIP at the Crime Scene
In a series of viral videos uploaded online, Sanawar has tied Dushyant Gautam to the murder that occurred at the Vanantara resort in Rishikesh. The most damning piece of evidence she presented was an audio clip last month, purportedly of a conversation with Rathore. In this clip, Rathore allegedly identifies Gautam as the "VIP" who was present at the resort on the day Bhandari was killed. The victim had begun working there less than a month before her death in September 2022. Her body was recovered from a canal six days after she went missing.
Gautam has vehemently denied all accusations, labeling them a "conspiracy" to defame him. In a legal countermove, he approached the Delhi High Court on Monday, January 8, 2026, accusing Sanawar, Rathore, and opposition parties of defamation. The court subsequently directed the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party to remove social media posts linking Gautam to the murder within 24 hours.
Who Are The Key Figures In This Saga?
Urmila Sanawar is an actress from Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, with roles in television serials. She claims to have met Suresh Rathore in 2022 when he was the acharya of the Ravidas Vishwa Peeth in Haridwar. Sanawar states she became his disciple, referring to him as "guru ji." Their relationship, however, took a dark turn. She alleges that Rathore drugged and raped her during a lunch meeting in Dehradun, later forcing her into marriage in Nepal in 2023 under threat of releasing an objectionable video. Rathore denies these claims, accusing her of blackmail.
Sanawar has a contentious legal history, with 10 cases registered against her in the last two years. These include charges of transmitting obscene material, outraging religious sentiments, and extortion. Following her recent allegations, she has been booked under the IT Act in four new FIRs.
Suresh Rathore, the 63-year-old former BJP MLA from Jwalapur, is a long-time party member and businessman. He served as the acharya of the Ravidas Peeth, a role that helped him mobilize Dalit votes. His political career has been marred by controversy, including a rape accusation in 2021, though the police later closed the case citing lack of evidence. His relationship with Sanawar became public in June 2025 when he acknowledged their marriage at a press conference, leading to his ouster from the BJP for six years for allegedly violating the Uniform Civil Code's prohibition on polygamy. He later retracted this acknowledgment.
Legal Onslaught and Political Repercussions
The fallout from Sanawar's videos has triggered a wave of police complaints. Multiple FIRs have been registered in Haridwar and Dehradun. One FIR from Bahadrabad police station alleges a conspiracy to defame Gautam, stating the false allegations caused widespread anger in the Ravidasia community. Another from Jhabrera police station accuses Sanawar and Rathore of creating false videos to damage Gautam's reputation.
Rathore, anticipating arrest, sought and obtained interim protection from the Uttarakhand High Court, which ordered that no coercive action be taken against him. Meanwhile, the main convict in the Ankita Bhandari murder case, Pulkit Arya—son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya—was sentenced last year.
The scandal has handed significant ammunition to opposition parties in Uttarakhand, forcing the BJP into damage control mode. The allegations threaten to disrupt the party's carefully managed social coalition, particularly among the Dalit communities where both Gautam and Rathore have influence. The case, dormant for over three years, has once again become a focal point of political conflict, with promises of justice for Ankita Bhandari now entangled in a complex web of personal, political, and criminal accusations.
