Former BJP MLA Suresh Rathore was arrested in Haridwar on Monday on the charge of “defaming” party seniors for their alleged involvement in the 2022 receptionist murder case.
Urmila Sanawar, a former TV actress and BJP leader, had taken the names of some party leaders after submitting as “evidence” videos and audio recordings of what she claimed were her conversations with Rathore. Sanawar claims she is married to Rathore, but he denies this.
She had fled to Chandigarh after taking the names of Dushyant Gautam, BJP national general secretary, and other BJP leaders in December 2025 in connection with the murder. Sanawar returned to Dehradun in January, recorded her statement with a special investigation team and submitted the video and audio clips in which Rathore is purportedly heard and seen mentioning the names of some leaders. Gautam has already filed a defamation suit against Rathore and Sanawar.
The 19-year-old receptionist was killed in Rishikesh in September 2022 when she refused to give “sexual favours” to some “VIPs” who were supposed to visit the resort of Vinod Arya, the then chairman of the Uttarakhand pottery board. He was suspended from the BJP while his son Pulkit, who ran the resort, and two hotel managers were awarded life terms last year for the murder.
But the names of the “VIPs” are yet to be revealed.
Sanawar was reportedly trying to convince some senior BJP leaders to give her a ticket to contest the Assembly elections, but Rathore wanted her to stay away from them. The “evidence” submitted by the actress suggests Rathore had told her that these very same BJP leaders were the mystery “VIPs”.
Parmendra Dobhal, senior superintendent of police of Dehradun, said: “Rathore was arrested from Buggawala in Haridwar. He was charged with making objectionable comments against some leaders.”
Although Sanawar had made some of the video and audio clips public and given statements against the BJP leaders, the police never detained her.