Ankita Bhandari murder case: SIT seeks NARCO test

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], December 13 (ANI): The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Ankita Bhandari murder case is to file a plea in the court seeking permission to conduct NARCO test against the three accused.

"SIT almost completed probe. We'll file the chargesheet this week. We've applied for the NARCO test of the 3 accused, we'll do it if the court permits," said Deputy Inspector General (DIG) P Renuka, SIT Incharge.

Significantly, the relatives of Ankita had also demanded the narco test of the killers.

The body of 19-year-old Ankita, who worked as a receptionist at a resort run by Pulkit Arya, the son of expelled BJP leader Vinod Arya, was recovered from Chilla canal in Rishikesh on September 24.

She was reported missing for at least six days before the officials found her dead body.

The expelled BJP leader's son- Pulkit Arya- was arrested for his alleged involvement in the case. Under fire from the Opposition parties over the incident, the BJP government led by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami promptly expelled Vinod Arya.

Pulkit Arya was arrested for allegedly pushing her into the canal following an altercation. Two more people - Ankit Gupta and Saurabh Bhaskar, were also arrested in the case.

On December 4, the Uttarakhand Police said that the investigation into the Ankita Bhandari murder case is almost complete with just the Narco tests of the accused remaining.

"An application will be filed in the court for the narco test of Ankita's killers, including the main accused Pulkit Arya. Things will be clearer after the narco test is done. Our investigation is almost complete," Chief Spokesperson of the Uttarakhand Police headquarters Additional Director General (ADG) V Murgeshan said addressing a press conference on December 4.

The Uttarakhand Police said on November 29 that its Special Investigation Team (SIT) was probing the murder case of Ankita Bhandari and has considered conducting a narco-analysis test of all the three accused in the case.

Ankita's mother Sona Devi and father Virender Singh Bhandari had filed a petition in the Nainital High Court, in November, seeking an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the case.

Amid calls from the victim's family that the probe is transferred to the CBI, the Gangster Act was invoked against the three accused in the case, including the main accused Pulkit Arya. (ANI)