Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 26 Oct: State spokesperson of Congress party, Pratima Singh today strongly criticised the government and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) over the arrest of actor Urmila Sanawar, who had claimed to reveal the identity of the alleged VIP linked to the Ankita Bhandari murder case. In a statement issued today, Singh alleged that the arrest raises serious questions about the investigation and accused the authorities of attempting to shield influential individuals.
She claimed that imprisoning those who speak out while allowing key suspects to remain untouched indicated that every possible effort was being made to protect powerful people. Singh also asked why the administration chose to arrest Sanawar instead of advancing the investigation when she had reportedly expressed her willingness before the CBI court to undergo a narco test without hesitation.
Targeting the investigating agency, Singh asked why, despite serious allegations and widespread public anger over the case, the CBI has not yet conducted detailed questioning of BJP leader Dushyant Gautam and Yamkeshwar MLA Renu Bisht. She said demands had repeatedly been raised for an inquiry into call records and the alleged role of Renu Bisht in connection with claims relating to the destruction of evidence in the case.
Singh further alleged that despite repeated references to Dushyant Gautam’s name in connection with the purported VIP angle, he had not been brought within the ambit of the investigation and had instead been appointed Governor of a state. She questioned whether the move was a deliberate attempt to provide constitutional protection from legal proceedings. She further claimed that the arrest of Urmila Sanawar has been carried out in haste to prevent facts that could emerge through a narco test from coming into the public domain.
Calling for an end to what she described as a discriminatory approach, Singh demanded that a fair and impartial Narco test of Urmila Sanawar be conducted without delay and that action be initiated against the principal suspects in the case. She also called upon the investigating agency to immediately obtain the call detail records (CDRs), mobile location data and digital evidence relating to Gautam and Renu Bisht and subject them to thorough questioning.
Singh also claimed that the individuals connected with the case are being intimidated by being entangled in other legal proceedings and said such practices should stop to ensure that the judicial process is not affected. She further demanded judicial protection for witnesses and persons associated with the case, arguing that without adequate safeguards, potential witnesses would be reluctant to come forward.
She urged the court to take suo motu cognisance of the developments and ensure that the direction of the investigation was not influenced by political clout. Singh said the people of Uttarakhand are united in seeking justice for Ankita Bhandari. She asserted that regardless of the measures adopted by the government or attempts to suppress the truth, the public would continue its efforts to expose the alleged VIP angle and secure justice in the case.
