Ankita Bhandari's father issues 24-hour ultimatum over Gautam's Sikkim Governor appointment
Synopsis
Four years after their daughter was murdered, Ankita Bhandari's parents sat in protest at India Gate for 12 hours — only to be detained at 4:30 am. Hours later, her father issued a blunt 24-hour ultimatum: revoke Dushyant Kumar Gautam's appointment as Sikkim Governor or face nationwide protests. The case's unresolved 'VIP angle' and Gautam's constitutionally protected new post have reignited a controversy the government has struggled to contain.
Key Takeaways
Ankita Bhandari's parents issued a 24-hour ultimatum on Thursday, 15 October 2026 , demanding revocation of Dushyant Kumar Gautam's appointment as Sikkim Governor .
Delhi Police briefly detained the parents and several Opposition leaders during a sit-in at India Gate , reportedly at around 4:30 am after a 12-hour vigil.
The family wants Gautam's appointment held pending completion of the active CBI probe into the 2022 Uttarakhand murder .
Congress leaders including Pawan Khera , Uday Bhanu Chib , Supriya Shrinate , and Alka Lamba expressed solidarity and condemned the detention.
Congress leader Gurdeep Singh Sappal said the family sought to meet President Droupadi Murmu to press for revocation of the gubernatorial appointment she approved.
Ankita Bhandari's father warned of protests 'in every state' if the government does not act within the 24-hour window.
The parents of Ankita Bhandari, the 19-year-old from Uttarakhand who was murdered in 2022, on Thursday issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the government at New Delhi, demanding that Dushyant Kumar Gautam's appointment as Sikkim Governor be revoked. The warning came hours after Delhi Police briefly detained the parents and several Opposition leaders during a sit-in demonstration at India Gate.
The Ultimatum and What the Family Demands
Ankita's father stated that if the government fails to revoke Gautam's appointment within 24 hours, people across every state would take to the streets demanding justice. 'We are giving the government a 24-hour ultimatum. If it does not revoke Dushyant Gautam's appointment, people across the country, in every state, will take to the streets to demand justice for Ankita Bhandari. Our daughter has received incomplete justice, as the name of a VIP emerged in the case. To protect that VIP, the SIT and the government have deliberately acted in this manner. As you can see, he has been appointed Governor of Sikkim,' he said.
The family has been pressing for further action in the case, specifically over allegations surrounding the identity of a purported VIP connected to the murder. They want Gautam's appointment held in abeyance until the ongoing Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe is concluded.
Midnight Detention at India Gate
According to All India Mahila Congress president Alka Lamba, Ankita's parents had travelled from Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, to sit in protest at India Gate for nearly 12 hours — from 5 pm until approximately 5 am — before Delhi Police arrived and detained them at around 4:30 am. Several Congress leaders present at the demonstration also alleged that protesters were manhandled during the detention.
This is not an isolated act of desperation; the family has been publicly demanding accountability for over four years. The appointment of Gautam to a constitutional post, while the CBI probe remains open, has intensified their campaign and drawn fresh political attention to an unresolved case.
Congress Leaders Condemn Appointment and Detention
Indian Youth Congress (IYC) president Uday Bhanu Chib called the appointment deeply unjust, alleging that those seeking justice were being detained while the accused was being elevated. 'Ankita's parents have been fighting for four years to ensure that their daughter, who is no longer with us, gets justice and that the rapist is punished. But far from delivering justice, the BJP has appointed the perpetrator as Governor, effectively shielding him from action and granting him immunity,' he said.
Congress MP Pawan Khera questioned the sequence of events, saying: 'The person accused of rape gets to move into a Governor's residence, while the rape survivor and those standing in her support end up at a police station. This is the state of affairs in the national capital.' Khera also said that Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had assured the family of their full support.
Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi said the party would continue to stand by the family despite the detention of protesters, adding that detaining party leaders and workers would not end their campaign for justice.
Calls for Presidential Intervention
Congress leader Gurdeep Singh Sappal said the parents sought to meet President of India Droupadi Murmu — whose office approved Gautam's appointment — to press for a revocation. Congress leader Supriya Shrinate also appealed directly to President Murmu to intervene and review the appointment, questioning how a person facing allegations linked to an active CBI investigation could be named Governor.
Notably, the appointment places Gautam in a constitutionally protected position, which critics argue effectively insulates him from routine criminal proceedings for the duration of his tenure — a concern that lies at the heart of the family's demand.
What Comes Next
The CBI probe into the Ankita Bhandari murder case remains active, and the family's ultimatum expires within hours of the protest. With Congress leaders signalling a sustained campaign and a nationwide call to action issued by the victim's father, pressure on the government is set to mount. Whether the Centre responds — or the matter reaches the President's desk — will determine the next phase of a case that has refused to fade from the national conscience.
Point of View
Not merely political: a Governor enjoys immunity from criminal proceedings during tenure, which critics argue effectively pauses accountability in an active CBI case. The government has so far not addressed this structural tension — it has neither explained the timing of Gautam's appointment relative to the investigation's status, nor offered a framework for how a sitting Governor could be examined by the CBI if required. Congress's street-level pressure is visible, but the more significant pressure point is the President's office, which approved the appointment and to which the family is now appealing. If that appeal goes unanswered, the case risks becoming a lasting symbol of institutional impunity — precisely the narrative the ruling establishment would want to avoid in an election cycle.
NationPress
15 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Ankita Bhandari case?
Ankita Bhandari was a 19-year-old from Uttarakhand who was murdered in 2022. The case gained national attention due to allegations involving the identity of a purported VIP, and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the matter remains ongoing as of October 2026.
Why are Ankita Bhandari's parents demanding the revocation of Dushyant Kumar Gautam's appointment?
The family alleges that Gautam is the purported VIP whose name surfaced in connection with the case, and that his appointment as Sikkim Governor — a constitutionally protected position — effectively shields him from the ongoing CBI investigation. They want the appointment revoked until the probe is completed.
What happened at the India Gate protest?
Ankita Bhandari's parents and several Opposition leaders held a sit-in protest at India Gate for approximately 12 hours, from 5 pm to around 5 am. Delhi Police arrived at around 4:30 am and briefly detained the parents and other demonstrators. Congress leaders alleged that protesters were manhandled during the action.
Who has Congress called upon to intervene?
Congress leaders, including Supriya Shrinate and Gurdeep Singh Sappal, have appealed to President Droupadi Murmu — whose office approved Gautam's gubernatorial appointment — to review and revoke it. Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have also reportedly assured the family of their support.
What will happen if the government does not act within 24 hours?
Ankita Bhandari's father has warned that people across every state will take to the streets if the government does not revoke Gautam's appointment within the 24-hour window. Congress leaders have echoed this, saying the party will sustain its campaign regardless of the detentions.
