Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra joined the sit-in protest by Ankita Bhandari's parents at India Gate

The Uttarakhand Congress on Monday accused the state government of attempting to shield influential figures in the 2022 Ankita Bhandari murder case following the arrest of actress Urmila Sanawar on charges of extortion and issuing threats. Sanawar, who had alleged the involvement of a “VIP” in the case, was arrested on Sunday, a day before she was scheduled to appear in a Dehradun court in connection with the CBI inquiry.

Congress spokesperson Pratima Singh questioned the timing of the arrest and demanded an impartial narco-analysis test for Sanawar. The party also questioned why certain BJP leaders had not been questioned in connection with the case.

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