Ankita Bhandari case: SIT questions victim's friend; likely to recreate crime scene

Ankita Bhandari's friend Pushpdeep, who works in Jammu, was questioned by the SIT throughout the day on Thursday and recorded his statement. It is learnt that Pushpdeep stayed at the Vanantra Resort, owned by Arya and where Ankita worked as a receptionist, on September 14-15. Pushpdeep returned to Jammu on September 16.

Rishikesh: The SIT of the Uttarakhand probing the sensational murder case of teenage receptionist Ankita Bhandari will produce the slain's friend Pushdeep, who was questioned on Thursday, before the main accused Pulkit Arya, son of expelled BJP leader Vinod Arya, for cross-examination. Sources said the SIT will also try to recreate the crime scene.

Arya has already been arrested, along with two of his accomplices in the case. Ankita Bhandari's friend Pushpdeep, who works in Jammu, was questioned in detail by the SIT throughout the day on Thursday and recorded his statement. It is learnt that Pushpdeep stayed at the Vanantra Resort, owned by Arya and where Ankita worked as a receptionist, on 14-15 September. On September 16, Pushpdeep returned to Jammu.

Sources said that Pushdeep will be made to sit face to face with Pulkit Arya for cross-examining. Arya and the other two accused have been taken on three-day custody by the SIT for investigation. The 19-year-old, Ankita, was missing for at least six days before the Uttarakhand administration recovered her body from the Chilla canal in Rishikesh on September 24.

Pulkit Arya, son of expelled BJP leader Vinod Arya, was arrested in the case for allegedly pushing her into the canal following an altercation. Besides Pulkit Arya, two more people were arrested in the case. The SIT is also interrogating Patwari Vaibhav and his car details, as he went on leave after receiving the news of Ankita's disappearance.

It is alleged that Arya had met the Patwari a day after the alleged murder on September 19. Patwari Vaibhav has been suspended. It is learnt from the sources that on September 18, Ankita, Pulkit, Saurabh and Ankit had left the resort together at around 8 pm. At 8:30, all four had crossed the Chilla Barrage.

There is a possibility that Ankita's murder must have happened between 9 am and 9.30 pm on September 18. On September 18, Ankita's last location was found on the spot. Her phone was switched off later. The location of phone of the accused Pulkit was also found on the spot. Ankita's post-mortem report has not revealed any kind of sexual assault. But the board of doctors has written in the report that a swab test should be done to confirm sexual assault. The accused can be brought to the Laxmanjhula police station for questioning. The team can also take the accused to the crime scene so that the crime scene can be recreated.

In view of the involvement of Patwari Vaibhav in this case, today the SIT can take him into custody and interrogate him. On September 29, the SIT recorded the statements of key witnesses, including one of her friends. Keeping in view the security of the witnesses, their statements were recorded at a secret location.