An FIR has been registered by the Uttarakhand Police to investigate the alleged involvement of an 'unidentified VIP' in the high-profile Ankita Bhandari murder case. This development follows a complaint lodged by Padma Bhushan awardee and environmentalist Dr. Anil Prakash Joshi at the Vasant Vihar police station in Dehradun on Friday. The registration of this FIR occurred hours after Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the 2022 murder of 19-year-old receptionist Ankita Bhandari, responding to persistent demands from her parents. Ankita Bhandari, a receptionist at the Vanantara resort in Rishikesh, was allegedly murdered in September 2022 by the resort owner, Pulkit Arya (son of a former BJP leader), and his two associates, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta. All three were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in May 2025. However, allegations of a mysterious 'VIP' being involved in the case, particularly concerning the suppression or destruction of evidence, have continued to circulate and reignited public outrage and political debate. Dr. Joshi's complaint highlighted that despite the conviction of the primary accused, persistent claims on social media and other platforms suggest that crucial evidence was concealed or destroyed. He emphasized the necessity of an independent and impartial investigation into this 'VIP' angle to ensure complete justice and uphold public trust. The FIR has been registered under sections 238 (causing disappearance of evidence), 249 (harbouring offender), and 45 (abetment of an offence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against an unidentified person. While a Special Investigation Team (SIT) previously probing the case had stated it found no evidence of 'VIP' involvement, recent audio clips and renewed protests brought the issue back into focus. This new FIR and the CBI probe recommendation underscore the ongoing demand for transparency and accountability in the high-profile Ankita Bhandari murder case.