Ranipur Kotwali police detained actress Urmila Sanawar in Saharanpur after a complaint alleged that she made obscene and defamatory comments online, demanded 5 crore rupees and threatened to kill a woman and her family. Police said the action was taken within about 12 hours of the case being registered.

The complaint was filed by a woman from the Tehri Displaced Colony on the night of 24 October. According to the complaint, Sanawar, who is from Saharanpur, used social media to allegedly objectionable comments about her. The complainant said the remarks damaged her reputation and that of her family.

The complaint also alleged that Sanawar made a WhatsApp call demanding that property connected with Ravidas Dham be transferred to her name. It further alleged that she sought 5 crore rupees and issued a death threat.

Police action and allegations

Following the complaint, police registered a case and began an investigation. A team was formed under the direction of the Senior Superintendent of Police and led by Inspector-in-Charge Manohar Singh Bhandari.

Police detained Sanawar on Sunday, 25 October, from her home in Govindnagar, within the limits of Saharanpur’s Sadar Bazar police station. Officers also recovered the mobile phone allegedly used in the incident.

The case has been registered under different provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act. Sanawar was being presented before a court, according to police. The allegations remain subject to the investigation and court process.

Police also said that several earlier cases were registered against Sanawar in Haridwar, Dehradun and Saharanpur. These include cases under the Information Technology Act, according to the police.

The police team involved in the action included Manohar Singh Bhandari, Sub-Inspector Sandeepa Bhandari, Head Constable Gopichand, Constable Kuldeep, and women constables Monica and Meenakshi.

Link to the Ankita Bhandari investigation

Sanawar’s detention came while the Central Bureau of Investigation was examining the alleged VIP angle in the Ankita Bhandari murder case. Sanawar and Suresh Rathore, who is the former Jwalapur MLA and whom Sanawar describes as her husband, appeared before the CBI court on Friday in connection with that inquiry.

Both reportedly consented to narco-analysis tests. Their appearance followed renewed attention to the case after an audio recording allegedly involving Rathore and Sanawar circulated on social media in December last year. The recording was claimed to refer to the alleged VIP’s role and identity.

Ankita was a 19-year-old receptionist at Vanantra Resort near Rishikesh. The source report states that resort owner Pulkit Arya killed her on 18 September 2022 with the help of 2 employees, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta. All 3 were sentenced to life imprisonment in the case.

Pressure from the Congress, several political and social organisations, and Ankita’s parents led the Chief Minister to recommend a CBI investigation in January. The recommendation followed demands for further examination of the alleged VIP connection.

The current police case against Sanawar concerns the separate allegations of online comments, an alleged demand for money and property, and threats. Her detention does not establish guilt in either matter; the allegations will be tested through the investigation and judicial proceedings.

Conclusion

Ranipur police detained Urmila Sanawar after a complaint alleging defamatory online comments, a demand for 5 crore rupees and death threats. The action coincided with her appearance before a CBI court in the separate Ankita Bhandari case, where the alleged VIP angle is under investigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Why was Urmila Sanawar detained?

Police detained her after a complaint alleged obscene and defamatory social-media comments, a demand for 5 crore rupees and death threats.

Q. Where was Sanawar detained?

She was detained from her home in Govindnagar, in the Sadar Bazar police station area of Saharanpur.

Q. What did police recover?

Police recovered the mobile phone allegedly used in the incident.

Q. Which laws have been invoked?

Police registered the case under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act.

Q. Was Sanawar presented before a court?

Police said she was being presented before a court after her detention.

Q. How is the case connected to Ankita Bhandari?

Sanawar’s name has surfaced in the alleged VIP-angle inquiry into Ankita Bhandari’s murder, which is being examined by the CBI.

Q. Who appeared before the CBI court?

Urmila Sanawar and former Jwalapur MLA Suresh Rathore appeared before the CBI court and reportedly consented to narco-analysis tests.

Q. What happened in the Ankita Bhandari murder case?

The source report states that Pulkit Arya and employees Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta were sentenced to life imprisonment for Ankita’s murder.