Virendra Singh Bhandari, the father of Ankita Bhandari, has issued the government a 24-hour ultimatum over the appointment of Dushyant Kumar Gautam as the Governor of Sikkim. He questioned how the appointment could proceed while a CBI investigation connected to the murder case remains ongoing.
Bhandari said he and his family reached Delhi intending to hold a sit-in protest at India Gate. He said the family’s main concern was Gautam’s name having surfaced in connection with the case. He did not present the allegation as a court finding.
According to Bhandari, the family wants the appointment revoked within 24 hours. He warned that people across the country and in Uttarakhand would take to the streets if the demand was not met.
Demands for further investigation
The family has also demanded action against those it says were responsible for the destruction of evidence. Bhandari called on the CBI to hold such people accountable, but the supplied statement does not identify anyone as responsible through a court judgment.
He specifically sought the retrieval of location data and phone records belonging to Ajay Kumar and Dushyant Kumar for 18–19 September 2022. The requested records, he said, could help clarify communications and movements relevant to the investigation.
Another demand concerns an old phone belonging to Pulkit, whom Bhandari described as an accused person. He said the Special Investigation Team, or SIT, had failed to recover the device. The family wants authorities to obtain a duplicate SIM card so data from the phone can be extracted.
Bhandari said the phone data could show whom Pulkit contacted on the relevant day. That remains a demand made by the family and is not an established finding reported in the supplied material.
Protest and political attention
Reports published by The Times of India and The Indian Express on 14 October 2026 described the India Gate protest as being linked to questions surrounding a “VIP” connection in the Ankita Bhandari case. The Indian Express also reported that Rahul Gandhi joined the sit-in.
The Hindu, Outlook India and India Today reported on 15 October 2026 that Ankita Bhandari’s parents were released after being detained during the protest. Those reports also described the family’s ultimatum and political criticism of the police response.
These background reports provide context for the family’s public action, but they do not establish the allegations made against any individual. The central issues raised by Bhandari remain the appointment, the status of the CBI investigation and the recovery of electronic evidence.
The case has particular significance in Uttarakhand because the family has called for public support across the state. a fresh official response from the Sikkim or Uttarakhand governments, the CBI or the police to the latest demands is not yet available.
What happens next
The next stated step is the expiry of the 24-hour ultimatum. The family has said it will seek wider public mobilisation if the appointment is not revoked. The other demands require decisions by the investigating authorities on records, evidence recovery and further accountability.
Conclusion
Virendra Singh Bhandari is seeking the revocation of Dushyant Kumar Gautam’s appointment as Sikkim Governor and further investigative action in the Ankita Bhandari murder case. His 24-hour ultimatum and evidence-related demands are the immediate focus, while official responses remain necessary to clarify the next steps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Who issued the 24-hour ultimatum?
Virendra Singh Bhandari, Ankita Bhandari’s father, issued the ultimatum.
Q. What appointment is Bhandari challenging?
He is challenging the appointment of Dushyant Kumar Gautam as the Governor of Sikkim.
Q. Why is he questioning the appointment?
He says Gautam’s name has surfaced in connection with the case and is questioning the appointment while a CBI investigation is ongoing.
Q. What records does the family want investigators to retrieve?
The family wants the location data and phone records of Ajay Kumar and Dushyant Kumar for 18–19 September 2022.
Q. What does the family want regarding Pulkit’s old phone?
It wants authorities to obtain a duplicate SIM card to extract data from the old phone linked to Pulkit, whom Bhandari described as an accused person.
Q. What action does the family demand over alleged evidence destruction?
It wants the CBI to hold accountable those it says were responsible for the destruction of evidence.
Q. Where did the family intend to protest?
The family arrived in Delhi intending to stage a sit-in protest at India Gate.
Q. What wider action did Bhandari warn about?
He said people across the country and throughout Uttarakhand would take to the streets if the appointment was not revoked within 24 hours.
