Rahul, Kharge Criticise Detention of Ankita Bhandari's Parents, Allege Voices Silenced

Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge have criticised the detention of the parents of Ankita Bhandari, the 19-year-old resort receptionist whose death in Uttarakhand in 2022 drew nationwide attention, saying action against a grieving family amounts to silencing those who seek justice.

Mr Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and Mr Kharge, the Congress president, said in their statements that the detention of the victim's parents was an attempt to suppress the voices of victims and their families. Their remarks were widely shared by opposition parties and civil society groups.

Ankita Bhandari worked as a receptionist at a resort in the Yamkeshwar area of Pauri Garhwal district. She went missing in September 2022 and her body was recovered from the Chilla canal. The case provoked outrage across the country and demands for a swift and transparent investigation.

Three men, including the owner of the resort, were arrested in connection with her death. A Special Investigation Team was constituted to probe the case, and the matter has been before the courts since then. As the trial is sub judice, no view is expressed here on the guilt or innocence of any accused.

Her parents have spent the years since seeking a fair trial and taking part in peaceful demonstrations demanding justice for their daughter. Their persistence kept the case in public view long after the first wave of coverage had passed.

Reports said the couple were taken into custody by the Uttarakhand Police. The grounds cited by the police were not immediately clear, and there was no immediate public response from the state government or the police to the criticism from the Congress leaders.

The case has been politically sensitive from the beginning, because the resort owner's father was associated with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Uttarakhand. The state government has said in the past that the investigation would be carried out without fear or favour.

Under the Constitution, the right to assemble peacefully and without arms is guaranteed by Article 19(1)(b), and the Supreme Court has held on several occasions that dissent and peaceful protest are legitimate features of democratic life. At the same time, the police are empowered to act against unlawful assembly or action that disrupts public order. The question of where that line falls is at the heart of the criticism made by the two Congress leaders.

Opposition parties have argued that detaining the family members of victims discourages others from coming forward, and places additional strain on people who are already seeking redress through the courts. Those who support police action say that maintaining public order is a lawful duty and that no demonstration is exempt from the law. The debate over how the state should treat protesters and complainants is not new, but it acquires a sharper edge in cases where the complainant is also the bereaved.

For Ankita Bhandari's parents, the demand has been consistent: a fair trial and clear answers about how a young woman who left home for work did not return. Whether their detention helps or hinders that search for justice is a question that will now play out in public debate, in the courts, and in the political arena.