# Rahul Gandhi slams BJP over Ankita Bhandari case protection claim 2026-08-15T15:51:24+00:00 | Politics | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday accused the BJP and RSS of protecting an unidentified 'VIP' guest linked to the 2022 murder of 19-year-old receptionist Ankita Bhandari in Uttarakhand. He alleged the state government deliberately shielded the person due to his political connections, calling it a "warped mentality" of granting cover to criminals against women. Gandhi did not name the individual or provide evidence. Bhandari was killed in September 2022 at Vanantara Resort in Pauri Garhwal after resisting demands from a guest. Her body was found in the Chilla canal. The resort owner Pulkit Arya and two others were convicted of murder. Gandhi, who met Bhandari's family, said her room had been demolished before the investigation, calling it suspicious. The BJP has not responded to the allegations. ## Coverage - nationalheraldindia.com - hindustantimes.com Tags: Ankita Bhandari, BJP, Rahul Gandhi, RSS, Uttarakhand Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/rahul-gandhi-alleges-bjp-protecting-vip-in-ankita-bhandari-case/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/rahul-gandhi-alleges-bjp-protecting-vip-in-ankita-bhandari-case/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.