Congress stages dharna, demands CBI probe into Ankita murder case

Congress chief Mahra said also questioned how the family of the main accused who is the "son of a BJP leader" was allowed to lock their home and flee

The Congress on Wednesday staged a dharna at the Gandhi Park here demanding a CBI probe into Ankita Bhandari murder case, saying it has no confidence in the ongoing investigation by the SIT.

Senior Congress leader Harish Rawat, Leader of Opposition in Uttarakhand Assembly Yashpal Arya, state unit president Karan Mahra, his predecessor Ganesh Godiyal and a host of other party leaders participated in the dharna accusing the state government of destroying evidence instead of carrying out an impartial probe into the murder.

“The chief minister hurriedly ordered the demolition of the resort to destroy evidence. The DGP’s telephonic conversation with the slain girl’s father was recorded and put in public domain. It is a crime. How can we trust an SIT constituted by him? We demand a high court-monitored CBI probe into the case,” state Congress chief Mahra said.

He also questioned how the family of the main accused who is the "son of a BJP leader" was allowed to lock their home and flee.

Former chief minister Harish Rawat said, “CMs represent the collective aspirations of the people of a state. They should be impartial. It’s a litmus test for the chief minister. If he fails in it, people of Uttarakhand will never forgive him.”