Former BJP MLA Suresh Rathore was arrested in Uttarakhand on Monday in connection with an investigation into viral audio and video clips related to the 2022 murder case of Ankita Bhandari.
Police said Rathore was detained from his office in Buggawala in Haridwar district and brought to the Dalanwala police station in Dehradun, where he was formally arrested.
Superintendent of Police Pramod Kumar said Rathore was questioned before being placed under arrest. “Suresh Rathore was questioned on Sunday night, after which he was arrested. He will be produced in court on Tuesday,” Kumar said.
Case Linked to Viral Audio-Video Clips
The arrest is linked to allegations surrounding the circulation of audio and video clips on social media in which Rathore allegedly named a “VIP” connected to the Ankita Bhandari murder case.
According to police, BJP national general secretary and Uttarakhand in-charge Dushyant Kumar Gautam had filed a complaint at Dalanwala police station in January, alleging that the clips were circulated to defame him and other BJP leaders.
In the videos, Rathore allegedly identified Gautam as the “VIP” referred to in public discussions surrounding the case. However, Rathore has denied releasing any clips or making statements against senior BJP leaders or the chief minister.
Speaking at a press conference earlier this week, Rathore said, “If my statements hurt anyone, I regret it,” while also alleging that there was a conspiracy to damage his political career.
High Court Quashed Two FIRs, Two Cases Remain
Rathore had recently claimed relief from the Uttarakhand High Court after two of the four FIRs filed against him in the matter were quashed on June 4.
However, the High Court allowed police investigations to continue in the remaining two cases registered at the Dalanwala and Nehru Colony police stations.
The complaints in the case alleged that objectionable content was deliberately circulated to tarnish reputations and spread false allegations against BJP leaders.
State minister Deshraj Karnwal later criticised Rathore’s statements about the High Court relief, calling them “misleading.”
Ankita Bhandari Murder Case
The controversy stems from the high-profile murder of Ankita Bhandari, a 19-year-old receptionist at a resort in Uttarakhand’s Pauri district in September 2022.
Bhandari had gone missing before her body was recovered from a canal days later, triggering widespread protests across Uttarakhand.
The resort owner, Pulkit Arya, son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya, along with two others, was arrested and later convicted for her murder.
The case gained national attention after allegations surfaced that Bhandari had been pressured to provide “special services” to a “VIP,” a claim that intensified political controversy in the state.
