BJP leader threatens legal action for implicating him in Ankita Bhandari murder case

Dehradun: BJP national general secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam has threatened to file a defamation suit against those dragging his name in the Ankita Bhandari murder case.

The controversy stems from a viral video and an alleged audio conversation of a woman named Urmila Sanawar, who claims to be the wife of former MLA Suresh Rathore from Haridwar's Jwalapur.

In the video, Sanawar alleged that a person named 'Gattu' was involved in the murder of Ankita Bhandari, a receptionist at a resort who was murdered in 2022 by her employer over refusal to render sexual favours.

Rathore, who has been expelled from the BJP, claimed that he had given Rs 50 lakh to Sanawar because she was "blackmailing" him.

In another video, Sanawar also revealed the identity of 'Gattu', which has reportedly hurt Dushyant Gautam.

In a video message released by the state BJP on Friday, Gautam, the party affairs in-charge for Uttarakhand, claimed that no such allegations were levelled against him in his 47 years of public life.

Alleging that some anti-social elements are trying to tarnish his image, Gautam said, "These videos are continuously doing the rounds in media and as social media. An investigation should be conducted into their origin. The authenticity of the claims should be verified."

Gautam said he has also written to the Uttarakhand home secretary in this regard.

"I want to warn all those who are spreading confusion that the matter will be investigated. I will take legal action and file a defamation suit against those who hatched this conspiracy."

Gautam also said that if people find even a single wrong deed against him and present it with evidence, he will retire from political and social life.

The BJP leader had written to Home Secretary Shailesh Bagoli on Thursday, urging him to instruct the media and social media platforms to remove alleged defamatory content against him in the Ankita Bhandari murder case and to prevent direct or indirect dissemination of such material.

Meanwhile, speaking to reporters in Haridwar, Rathore said that Sanawar had been blackmailing him for a long time and that he even had to sell his factory to pay her Rs 50 lakh.

Rathore also claimed that he filed a complaint against Sanawar with the police for blackmailing him, but no action was taken despite repeated requests.

The Congress is using Sanawar as a shield to conspire against him and his former party, the BJP, he claimed.