Practically three months after 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari was discovered useless close to Rishikesh in Uttarakhand, police on Friday stated no forensic proof was recovered from the resort the place she labored as a receptionist.
The Vanantara resort in Pauri Garhwal is owned by Pulkit Arya, who’s the son of now-expelled Bharatiya Janata Get together (BJP) chief Vinod Arya. Pulkit and two staff of the resort have been arrested up to now.
V Murugesan, further director basic of police (ADGP), legislation and order, stated no fingerprints or organic proof have been discovered within the resort, which was partially demolished by authorities after the incident.
“Our forensic group didn’t discover any forensic proof, fingerprints, organic samples, from the resort. We submitted the video and picture proof to the excessive court docket,” he stated.
HT reached out to Bhandari’s lawyer and her household for a response however didn’t get one instantly.
Bhandari’s physique was discovered on September 24, six days after she went lacking from her dwelling. Police stated the lady was murdered on September 18 by the three arrested males after she refused to supply “additional companies” to VIP males on the resort. All three accused are at present in jail.
The homicide had sparked large outrage and protests have been reported from varied components of the state. Offended locals even set hearth to the resort. Later, authorities demolished components of the resort, saying the buildings have been illegally constructed.
The state police, on a number of events, claimed they’d already collected needed proof from the resort earlier than a bulldozer partially razed it, together with the room that was allotted to Bhandari.
The bulldozer motion had triggered allegations from the lady’s household, native residents and opposition events that the resort was partially demolished to destroy proof and save the important thing accused.
A petition was additionally filed within the excessive court docket, accusing BJP legislator Renu Bisht of destroying proof within the case. Bisht, BJP MLA from Yamkeshwar, was current exterior the resort on the time of the demolition.
The petitioner, Ashutosh Negi, a resident of Pauri Garhwal, additionally demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the matter.
A particular investigation group (SIT) probing the case additionally stated no forensic proof was discovered on the resort, Navnish Negi, the petitioner’s lawyer, stated. The SIT made the assertion in its standing report back to the excessive court docket.
“Their (police) standing report clearly mentions that they didn’t recuperate any forensic proof, together with fingerprints, from the demolition web site. It additionally acknowledged they didn’t recuperate cellphones of key accused Pulkit Arya and the lady,” Navnish Negi stated.
“In keeping with eyewitnesses, the room allotted to the lady was demolished, that’s the place she was crushed up, they need to have discovered proof of wrestle. Earlier than the homicide, a legal occasion additionally occurred there. The room was really the scene of the crime,” he added.
The court docket mounted November 18 as the following date of listening to.