Ankita Bhandari murder case: Forensic report rules out rape
Dehradun(PTI): Preliminary forensic examination reports of the visceral samples of Ankita Bhandari, who was allegedly killed by the owner of a resort where she worked as a receptionist, have ruled out sexual assault, a police officer said on Monday.
Bhandari's murder allegedly by her employer Pulkit Arya, who is the son of a former BJP leader, and his two accomplices, had triggered a massive public outrage with people demanding the hanging of the killers.
The reports of the visceral samples did not speak of any sexual assault on her before she was killed, the officer said requesting anonymity.
He said new findings support the post-mortem report issued by AIIMS, Rishikesh, which had also ruled out a sexual assault on the victim, he said.
Arya and his two accomplices have been put behind bars while investigation by an SIT into the case is in progress.
The probe by the SIT, headed by DIG P Renuka Devi, is nearing its conclusion following which a chargesheet will be filed in the case, the officer said.
The body of Bhandari (19) was recovered from the Chilla canal in Uttarakhand's Rishikesh on September 24.
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SP has ended contract with I-PAC due to fund constraints: Akhilesh Yadav
Lucknow (PTI): Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said his party has severed its association with the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) due to a lack of funds.
He dismissed speculations that the termination of contract was because of recent election results.
Addressing a press conference here, Yadav said the party had engaged I-PAC for a brief period ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections but could not continue the arrangement.
"Yes, we had an association. They worked with us for a few months, but we are not able to continue because we do not have that kind of funding," he said.
The I-PAC is a political consultancy firm known for managing major election campaigns across the country.
Election strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor has also been associated with the organisation in the past and has worked with multiple parties, including the BJP and the Congress.
In a lighter vein, Yadav took a swipe at the ecosystem of political consultancies. "We thought that if we have to work with a 'winning agency', then there are several big companies."
He said that some people suggested conducting surveys, hiring another firm, keeping a social media company, and even engaging agencies for negative campaigning against other parties.
"There are one or two more companies whose names are not yet known. I can get those for you as well," Yadav said.
Yadav rejected the suggestion that the decision to end the deal was influenced by recent election outcomes in states such as West Bengal.
"There is no such thing. Do not ask questions based on baseless reports. That is not true," he said.
"This is not the reason for ending the agreement. We simply do not have enough funds. If you (the media) give us funds, we can hire another company," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said.
