Ankita Bhandari case: CBI summons journalist Ashutosh Negi for questioning
Synopsis
The CBI's Ankita Bhandari probe is entering an unexpected phase — summoning the journalist who pushed hardest for the federal investigation in the first place. With an 'unknown VIP' named in the case and fresh arrests linked to a key witness, the inquiry is widening beyond the three already convicted, raising questions about who else may have been involved.
Key Takeaways
The CBI has summoned journalist Ashutosh Negi — a petitioner in the case — for questioning at CBI Headquarters, New Delhi on 27 October 2026 at 10:30 am .
Negi was previously arrested by Uttarakhand Police in March 2024 for his reporting on the case; he was later granted bail.
The CBI has also recently questioned Urmila Sanawar , alleged wife of former BJP MLA Suresh Rathore , and the former MLA himself in Haridwar .
The CBI's Special Crime Branch registered a case against an 'unknown VIP' after taking over the probe in February 2026 .
Prime accused Pulkit Arya and co-accused Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment following the original SIT investigation.
Ankita Bhandari , 19, was murdered on 18 September 2022 at the Vanantra Resort in Uttarakhand.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has summoned Ashutosh Negi, a Uttarakhand-based journalist and petitioner in the Ankita Bhandari murder case, for questioning on Tuesday, 27 October at CBI Headquarters, New Delhi, according to sources. Negi has been directed to appear at 10:30 am.
Who Is Ashutosh Negi
Negi had been among the most vocal advocates for a CBI investigation into the high-profile murder. His reporting on the case drew official attention in March 2024, when the Uttarakhand Police arrested him — an action that was widely criticised by press freedom advocates. He was subsequently granted bail. The summoning of a journalist-turned-petitioner marks an unusual development in an already complex investigation.
Key Developments in the CBI Probe
The federal agency has been intensifying its inquiry in recent days. Earlier this month, a four-member CBI team — including a woman officer — questioned Urmila Sanawar, the alleged wife of former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Suresh Rathore, in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
On Monday, the Uttarakhand Police arrested Sanawar from her Saharanpur residence in connection with a separate FIR related to allegedly defamatory remarks made about the former BJP MLA — notably, this occurred just one day before she was due to be produced before a CBI court in the Bhandari murder case. Sanawar had earlier appeared at a press conference in New Delhi alongside Ankita Bhandari's parents, and had also released a video message demanding that any CBI interrogation be conducted in the presence of the media, citing the absence of Supreme Court oversight in the probe.
A day prior, the CBI had questioned former BJP MLA Rathore at the Shivalik Guest House in Haridwar, Uttarakhand.
The CBI Takeover and the 'Unknown VIP' Angle
The CBI formally took over the Ankita Bhandari murder case in February 2026. Its Delhi-based Special Crime Branch registered a case against an 'unknown VIP' — a framing that has fuelled speculation about high-level involvement and sustained public interest in the case. The agency has not publicly named this individual.
Background: The 2022 Murder and Earlier Convictions
Ankita Bhandari, a 19-year-old receptionist at the Vanantra Resort, was murdered on 18 September 2022. Her body was dumped in the Chilla Shakti Canal and recovered nearly a week later, triggering widespread protests across Uttarakhand.
A Special Investigation Team subsequently filed a 500-page charge sheet naming 97 witnesses, of whom 47 testified in court. Resort owner Pulkit Arya — the prime accused — along with co-accused Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. Arya was found guilty on multiple charges including murder, tampering with evidence, harassment, and immoral trafficking.
With the CBI now pursuing the 'unknown VIP' angle and fresh questioning of multiple witnesses, the case appears far from closed — and the summoning of Negi suggests investigators are examining every thread, including those raised by journalists and petitioners.
Point of View
The 'unknown VIP' angle, registered months after the original convictions, suggests investigators believe the resort murders had a political or powerful dimension that the SIT's 500-page charge sheet did not fully resolve. The arrest of Urmila Sanawar on a defamatory-remarks FIR, timed one day before her CBI court appearance, compounds the perception that multiple forces are at work in shaping what witnesses can say — and when.
NationPress
27 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has the CBI summoned journalist Ashutosh Negi in the Ankita Bhandari case?
Ashutosh Negi has been summoned for questioning at CBI Headquarters in New Delhi on 27 October 2026 as part of the ongoing investigation into the Ankita Bhandari murder case. Negi is both a journalist who reported extensively on the case and a petitioner who had pushed for a CBI probe.
Who is Ankita Bhandari and what happened to her?
Ankita Bhandari was a 19-year-old receptionist working at the Vanantra Resort in Uttarakhand who was murdered on 18 September 2022. Her body was recovered from the Chilla Shakti Canal nearly a week later, triggering mass protests across the state.
Who has been convicted in the Ankita Bhandari murder case?
Resort owner Pulkit Arya along with co-accused Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. Arya was found guilty of murder, evidence tampering, harassment, and immoral trafficking.
What is the 'unknown VIP' angle in the CBI investigation?
After taking over the case in February 2026, the CBI's Special Crime Branch registered a separate case against an unidentified 'unknown VIP,' suggesting investigators believe persons beyond those already convicted may have been involved. The identity of this individual has not been publicly disclosed.
Why was Urmila Sanawar arrested and how is she connected to the case?
Urmila Sanawar, the alleged wife of former BJP MLA Suresh Rathore, was arrested by Uttarakhand Police from Saharanpur on a separate FIR related to allegedly defamatory remarks about the former MLA. The arrest occurred one day before she was due to appear before a CBI court in the Bhandari murder case; she had also been questioned by a CBI team earlier this month.
