Actress Urmila Sanawar, in news for alleged VIP name in Ankita Bhandari murder case, arrested by Haridwar Police – Action comes after she consented to Narco test before CBI Court
Dehradun / Haridwar
Actress Urmila Sanawar, who came into the limelight for raising the alleged VIP angle in the Ankita Bhandari murder case, has been arrested by Haridwar Police on Sunday.
According to Haridwar Police, a team led by SHO Manohar Singh Bhandari raided her residence in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, in connection with a case registered at Ranipur Kotwali. The case was lodged on the complaint of the daughter of former MLA Suresh Rathore. Police also claimed to have recovered the mobile phone allegedly used in the incident.
There are two separate legal proceedings against Urmila Sanawar. First, the CBI investigation into the VIP angle of the Ankita Bhandari case. Second, criminal cases filed against her in different police stations of Haridwar district. The Ranipur Kotwali arrest falls in the second category. Earlier, another FIR was registered at Bahadrabad Police Station on the complaint of Dharmendra Kumar, President of Shiromani Guru Ravidas Vishva Mahapeeth, against Urmila and former BJP MLA Suresh Rathore for allegedly tarnishing the image of a BJP leader.
The ongoing CBI process:* The CBI had issued a notice to Urmila on October 21, directing her to appear before the Special CBI Court in Dehradun on October 23 to give consent for a proposed narco-analysis and polygraph test. As per the Supreme Court guidelines in Selvi vs State of Karnataka (2010), such tests cannot be conducted without voluntary consent. Both Urmila and Suresh Rathore gave their consent before the court on Friday. The court will next hear the matter on October 26.
VIP allegation is still an allegation, not a proven fact:* Urmila had released an audio clip on social media claiming it captured conversations with Rathore pointing to the role of a powerful figure in the murder. The name of recently appointed Sikkim Governor Dushyant Gautam was alleged to be the VIP, which Gautam has denied. The CBI is investigating the authenticity of the viral clips. It may be noted that the three main accused in the murder – resort owner Pulkit Arya and employees Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta – have already been sentenced to life imprisonment by a Kotdwar court in May 2023.
After arrest, police are bound to produce the accused before a magistrate within 24 hours. The seized mobile phone will be sent for FSL examination. She has the right to legal counsel and bail as per law.
The timing of the arrest is significant as it came just after Urmila told the CBI court, “I have given my consent for the narco test as I have nothing to lose. I will ensure that Ankita gets justice.” She had also put a condition that media should be given access to her narco-analysis test and demanded a similar test for the alleged VIP.
