Senior advocate of Supreme Court Collin Gonsalves says I see little hope. Political influence is evident from the beginning. But we want an independent investigation. No matter how high-profile the person is, if he is guilty, should be punished
The massive Ankita Bhandari Nyay Panchayat organised on 8 th February at Parade ground Dehradun , though was a great success with hundreds of people participating in it, majority of the participants in a single voice / unanimity while expressing their greatest apprehension over the ongoing CBI probe have demanded the sitting judge of the Supreme Court to monitor it. Over 400 social organisations participated in this Nyay Panchayat to seek justice for Ankita Bhandari and stringently punishing the VIP , the main mastermind behind this diabolical tragedy that took an innocent life of a 19 year old girl because she outrightly and bravely refused to submit to his demand to oblige him giving extra services equivalent to forcibly pushing her into prostituition.
A five point resolution was also passed at this massive congregation where majority of the speakers demanded the resignation of the chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and bringing him too into focus while carrying out the investigation including those who demolished the room in Vanantara resort and removed/ destroyed all the evidences.
There was no trace of the mobile phones of Ankita, and other employees including the CCTV footages, deliberately destroyed giving a clear cut impression about every proof destroyed with precision and pre- strategically and conspiratorially.
Not only this but the firm owned by the convicted murdurer Pulkit Arya’s father and brother who were holding the state ministers rank earlier while in BJP has now again been obliged by passing their tenders allocating them the contract for Ayurvedic medicines supply for several crores of rupees.
The company owned by them is Sanskaar Medicos.
Meanwhile, the senior advocate of Supreme Court famous for fighting the Pro Bono cases at very cheaper costs and even free , who had filed the Special Leave Petition in the Apex Court in Ankita Bhandari Case Collin Gonsalves is of the emphatic opinion that in Ankita Bhandari ongoing CBI probe he is not very sure of getting the justice.
In a detailed interview given to the senior journalist Umakant Lakhera Collin Gonsalves said that my initial reaction is clear—I am suspicious of this new FIR. I have seen it. The person who filed it is Dr. Anil Prakash Joshi, who has no direct connection to the case. How could someone who doesn’t know the facts of the case be filing an FIR? This raises suspicion said Collin Gonsalves.
In response to a question whether this could be the case of government’s intervention supreme Court’s leading advocate replied in affirmation saying : I believe the government is involved. The FIR states that the accused in the murder case have been convicted. But a key suspect—an alleged VIP connection—has escaped. The previous investigation should have continued from there. A new case cannot be created and separated which raises several doubts clarified Collin Gonsalves.
When asked that since the CBI enquiry has now been ordered and the team active in the job, why is the state’s populace not satisfied still ? He replied : This is so because the investigation doesn’t appear to be independent.
If the government on the one hand says a CBI investigation should be conducted, and on the other hand controls the investigation itself—how will the public trust it? We need a free and fair investigation said the apex court lawyer of repute.
When asked whether the demolition of the Vanantara resort overnight after few days where this tragedy occured was correct or will it impact the investigations, SC human rights advocate Collin Gonsalves said : This is a serious question. The destruction of the crime scene is highly suspicious. He asked – Who gave the order? Why? Why was the evidence destroyed while the investigation was ongoing? The CBI should investigate this separately he asserted.
When questioned about the fresh FIR and the BNS sections under which the FIR got registered revealing that it’s not connected with the murder, Collin said
that’s the problem. This is a murder case. There are charges related to destroying evidence and shielding the accused, but the focus isn’t on the conspiracy to commit murder. The main issue is the murder—and the VIP’s role in it must be investigated.
He catagorically said that this case has several shortcomings which seem to have been intentionally created. The phone is the most crucial piece of evidence. The phones of the hotel staff and the accused are missing. Ankita’s phone was also missing. The CCTV was off at the time of the incident—this is unbelievable. This should be the central issue of the investigation emphasised the supreme Court advocate Mr. Gonsalves.
To a concluding question of Mr. Lakhera , senior journalist Collin said at this point, I see little hope. Political influence is evident from the beginning. But we want an independent investigation. No matter how high-profile the person is, if he is guilty, he should be punished.
