Journalists including Satish Sharma honoured for ‘keeping Ankita Bhandari case alive’
By ARUN PRATAP SINGH
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 18 Jun: Former Chairman of the Uttarakhand Human Rights Commission, Justice (Retd) Rajesh Tandon, today, asserted that circumstantial, digital, and forensic evidence was crucial for the conviction of the accused in the Ankita Bhandari case. Justice Tandon was speaking as the Chief Guest at a function and dialogue on the Ankita Bhandari case (From Fair Trial till Justice Ensured), organised at the Doon Library Auditorium jointly by Manav Adhikar Sanrakshan Kendra and Divya Himgiri.
On this occasion, several journalists, including Editor of Garhwal Post, Satish Sharma, were also honoured for the media’s role in ensuring justice in the Ankita Bhandari murder case. The discussion was moderated by senior journalist and current Editor of Hindi daily Navodaya Times, Nisheeth Joshi.
DIG (Law & Order) Dhirendra Gunjyal also shared his opinion regarding the investigation and prosecution in the Ankita Bhandari case on behalf of the Police Department.
Editor and Publisher of Divya Himgiri, Kunwar Raj Asthana compered the proceedings today. Speaking on the occasion, retired Justice Rajesh Tandon reminded the audience that, under earlier laws like the IPC and Indian Evidence Act, etc., dealing with crime in the country, circumstantial, digital, and forensic evidence was considered only secondary or supportive. However, under the new laws such as the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) and the new Indian Evidence Act, they are now permitted as primary evidence wherever necessary.
He also stated that, under the new laws, investigating officers are mandatorily required to complete the preliminary investigation within 15 days in certain types of alleged crimes before registering FIRs; whereas, under the previous laws, it was simply mentioned that police officials shall register the FIR. He remarked that the amended laws are better in cases related to dowry harassment under Section 498A, where baseless allegations are often made and the entire family of the husband and their relatives harassed unnecessarily.
Tandon lauded the reforms being brought into criminal laws in recent years but also stressed the need for greater reforms regarding human rights in the country. He pointed out that he was aware that prisoners brought to district and lower courts from prison on court dates for trial are often not provided lunch and these prisoners include women, which he noted was against the dignity and human rights of the prisoners.
He also cited Article 14 and Article 21 of the Constitution, along with the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, to stress that everyone, including prisoners, has human rights and dignity, which must be respected.
Justice Tandon further emphasised the important and crucial role expected to be played by NGOs and other social organisations in protecting the human rights of citizens. He stated that the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, also provides for this role for NGOs. He also called for improvements in the conditions and facilities provided to prisoners in prisons.
DIG (Law & Order) Dhirendra Gunjyal asserted that the Ankita Bhandari case was a very sensitive one, as public sentiments were involved. He claimed that the Police were serious and sincere about a fair investigation from the very beginning of the case. He stated that, in line with public sentiment, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami not only gave a free hand to the investigation but also ensured that a fair investigation and a fair trial be ensured.
Gunjyal recalled that as soon as the regular police took over the case, the accused were arrested. Despite all the speculation surrounding the matter, the fact remains that the police SIT team, led by the upright lady IPS Officer P Renuka, collected all the evidence, which proved crucial in the conviction of the accused, all of whom have been sentenced to life imprisonment by the court. He emphasised that there was no interference from any quarter in the police investigation and, with the help of the prosecution, a strict sentence was ensured in the case.
Gunjyal also mentioned that although initially many rumours and half-truths were circulating on social media, the subsequent factual reporting by the media helped the police in their investigation.
Senior journalist Nisheeth Joshi focussed on the role played by the media in keeping the issue alive and in its factual reporting. He remarked that the pressure created by the media and society ensured a fair investigation and prosecution in the case. He also praised the investigation and reminded the audience that the fairness of the probe was the reason why conviction could be ensured in the Ankita Bhandari case—unlike in the much-discussed Arushi murder case, where no conviction was achieved.
During the open dialogue session, several senior journalists present posed a variety of questions, all of which were answered by Dhirendra Gunjyal in a highly positive and clear manner. In the course of this interactive programme, several journalists were felicitated for their fact-based, balanced, and informative reporting in the Ankita Bhandari murder case, which helped keep the matter alive in public discourse and maintained consistent pressure on the authorities concerned.
Those honoured included: Satish Sharma (Editor, Garhwal Post), Ashish Goyal (Bureau Chief, ANI and Reuters), Kirankant Sharma (State Head, ETV), Rajesh Sharma (Editor, Crime Story), Avneesh Premi (State Head, India Voice News), Rajeev Thapliyal (News Editor, Punjab Kesari/Navodaya Times), Anupam Trivedi (Uttarakhand Editor, News18), Basant Nigam (Editor, Raftaar Media and Khabar Uttarakhand), Ankit Sharma (Bureau Chief, India Today-Aaj Tak), BD Sharma (Editor, Devpath), Rajeev Verma (Editor, Comfort Times newspaper and web portal), Dilip Rathore (Editor, DSR Uncut), Avneesh Jain (State Head, Swadesh News), Gurdeep Tony (Editor, Janbharat Mail), Pankaj Mandoli (Bureau Chief, Navodaya Times, Srinagar Pauri), Chandramohan Shukla (Bureau Chief, Amar Ujala, Kotdwar), Naval Kishore Khali (Editor, Pahad TV), Pankaj Panwar (Bharat Samachar), and Vikram Srivastava (Bureau Chief, Dainik Bhaskar).
All were conferred the Manav Adhikar Sanrakshan Ratna honour.
