The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party and other social media handles to remove content linking BJP national general secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam to the 2022 Ankita Bhandari murder case.
The court called the allegations prima facie defamatory.
The Congress on Tuesday reiterated its demand for a central probe into the 2022 murder, accusing the BJP of shielding powerful interests allegedly linked to the crime.
The case returned to the political spotlight after Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said he would speak to the victim’s parents before deciding on a CBI probe.
Responding to questions at a press conference at the Secretariat’s Media Centre, Dhami said delivering justice to “Uttarakhand’s daughter Ankita” remained the state government’s highest priority. He said the government had acted with seriousness, sensitivity and transparency in the matter.
The Congress’s remarks coincided with BJP national general secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam approaching the Delhi High Court, where he strongly denied any connection to the murder.
Gautam filed a defamation suit against the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party and several individuals, arguing that social media content and political statements had falsely portrayed him as linked to the crime.
He sought the removal of posts, videos and statements that name or hint at him in connection with the case.
According to his plea, a fresh wave of online claims emerged in late December, reviving speculation around an alleged “VIP” angle in the Ankita Bhandari murder, allegations he has said have no basis in the investigation.
