WORLD
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Uttarakhand court convicts resort owner, 2 staffers in Ankita Bhandari murder case. Pulkit, owner of Vanantara resort, was convicted for the murder of 19-year-old receptionist Ankita Bhandari. Two employees of the resort, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta, were also convicted in the case. The verdict was pronounced by Additional District and Sessions Judge Reena Negi in Kotdwar. Ankita was murdered on September 18, 2022, after a dispute with Pulkit Arya. She was allegedly pushed into a canal by the trio, and her body was recovered on September 24. Notably, Pulkit Arya is the son of expelled BJP leader Vinod Arya. SIT filed a 500-page chargesheet in court following an extensive probe. A total of 47 witnesses, including the investigating officer, were examined during the hearings. Final arguments were heard on May 19, 2025, before the court delivered its ruling.