NEW DELHI: The parents of Ankita Bhandari, the 19-year-old woman murdered at a resort in Uttarakhand in 2022, staged a protest near India Gate on Wednesday, demanding that Dushyant Kumar Gautam’s appointment as Sikkim Governor be put on hold until the ongoing CBI investigation into the case is completed.

Gautam, a senior BJP leader appointed as Sikkim Governor on October 12, has been named by Ankita’s family and activists as the alleged VIP purportedly linked to the case. However, the allegations against him remain unproven. Gautam has denied the allegations and initiated defamation proceedings against those making the accusations.

During the protest, Ankita’s mother broke down while sitting on the pavement near India Gate and urged the authorities not to allow Gautam to assume the gubernatorial office before the investigation was completed.

“Dushyant Gautam should not be appointed governor until the CBI investigation is complete,” she said.

The family’s demand has brought renewed attention to the case and raised questions about the appointment amid the ongoing investigation. The protesters called for the investigation to reach its conclusion before Gautam takes charge as Governor of Sikkim.

The allegations against Gautam have not been established, and the investigation is ongoing.