In a significant judgment in the Ankita Bhandari murder case, the Additional District and Sessions Court (ADJ) in Kotdwar has found all three accused—Pulkit Arya, resort owner; and his staff members Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta—guilty of murder under IPC sections 302, 201, and 354. The court sentenced them to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹50,000 each. Additionally, the court ordered compensation of ₹4 lakh to be paid to Ankita’s family.
The verdict comes nearly 32 months after the brutal murder of 19-year-old Ankita. Just before the decision was announced, a large crowd attempted to break the police barricades near the court premises, demanding justice. Police deployed from various districts of Garhwal division managed to control the situation with heavy security arrangements.
The first court hearing began on January 30, 2023, and the prosecution, led by Special Public Prosecutor Avneesh Negi, submitted a 500-page chargesheet after a detailed SIT investigation. Of the 97 witnesses listed by the SIT, 47 key witnesses, including the investigating officer, testified in court. Final arguments concluded on May 19, and the verdict was reserved for May 30.
The long-awaited judgment has drawn national attention and is seen as a landmark in the fight for justice for Ankita, whose case sparked widespread outrage and demands for stricter safety measures for women.
