Rishikesh resort murder: CBI registers case against ‘unknown VIP’; probe renewed after audio clips surface online

DEHRADUN: CBI on Monday registered a case against an "unknown VIP" in connection with the 2022 murder of a 19-year-old receptionist at a Rishikesh resort owned by a BJP leader's son. A CBI officer, requesting anonymity, confirmed the development to TOI and said a special team of the central agency reached Dehradun on Monday to initiate a probe after registering the case.

"The team met officers of Uttarakhand police SIT, which had investigated the case and filed a chargesheet on the basis of which the accused were convicted. The team will examine case-related documents and probe to ascertain whether any VIP was involved," the officer said.


Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had recommended a CBI inquiry into the alleged 'mysterious VIP' on Jan 9, following days of protests by social groups and political parties, as well as demands by the victim's parents, who sought an investigation by the probe agency under the supervision of a Supreme Court judge.

CBI registered its case based on the FIR lodged at Dehradun's Vasant Vihar police station after Doon-based environmentalist and Padma Bhushan awardee Anil Joshi wrote to Uttarakhand DGP Deepam Seth. The FIR was registered against an unidentified person under BNS sections 238 (causing disappearance of evidence), 249 (harbouring an offender) and 45 (abetment of an offence).

The case regained political traction after audio clips allegedly released by Haridwar-based actor Urmila Sanawar circulated online. In the clips, expelled former BJP MLA Suresh Rathore-whom Sanawar claimed was her husband-can purportedly be heard referring to a "VIP", whom he alleged was BJP national general secretary and Uttarakhand in-charge Dushyant Gautam. Gautam denied the allegations and filed defamation cases against the couple.

An SIT was also constituted to probe the 'VIP' angle.

The receptionist was murdered in Sept 2022 by resort owner Pulkit Arya and his associates, Ankit Gupta and Saurabh Bhaskar. All three are currently in jail, serving life sentences after they were convicted by a Kotdwar court last year.