Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami n Friday recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the 2022 murder of 19-year-old resort receptionist in Pauri Garhwal district, asserting that his government will ensure that “no fact or evidence will be overlooked”.
The development comes days after the victim’s parents wrote a letter to theCM, demanding an enquiry by the federal agency under the supervision of a Supreme Court judge.In the letter, the victim’s father had alleged that his daughter was murdered because of a “VIP” who remained unknown.
In a post on X on Friday, Dhami said: “Ensuring justice for our daughter is our utmost priority. During their meeting, the victim’s parents had demanded a CBI investigation, and honouring that, our government has decided to hand over the probe of this case to the CBI. Our government has always remained committed to the safety of the mother power and their honour. In Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, the rule of law prevails, and here, the guilty will not be spared under any circumstances.”
Recounting the steps taken by the state government since the incident came to light, the chief minister said a special investigation team (SIT), headed by a woman IPS officer, was constituted on an urgent basis.
{{/usCountry}}Recounting the steps taken by the state government since the incident came to light, the chief minister said a special investigation team (SIT), headed by a woman IPS officer, was constituted on an urgent basis.
{{/usCountry}}All the accused involved in the case were arrested promptly, and effective and strong legal representation was ensured by his government, which resulted in a lower court granting life imprisonment to the three convicts in the case, he said, adding that the entire case clearly demonstrated that the state government has ensured justice with fairness, transparency, and firmness.
Referring to the recent audio clips being circulated on social media, the chief minister said that separate FIRs have been registered, and an investigation is underway. “The government’s intention is absolutely clear. No fact or evidence will be overlooked,” he said, adding that the victim was “not just a case, but our sister and daughter”.
The 19-year-old woman’s body was recovered from the Chilla canal in Rishikesh on September 24 in 2022, nearly a week after she was reported missing. Pulkit Arya, the son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya, was among three people arrested in connection with the case for allegedly pushing her into the canal following an altercation. The victim worked as a receptionist at Pulkit’s Vanantra resort in the Yamkeshwar area of Pauri Garhwal district. According to the police, she was allegedly murdered by the three accused for refusing to provide “extra services” to the VIP guests. In May 2025, a Kotdwar court in Pauri Garhwal sentenced the resort owner Pulkit and his two aides to life in the murder case.
A demand for a CBI probe into the killing has recently gathered pace since Urmila Sanawar, an actor who claimed to be the wife of former BJP MLA Suresh Rathore, alleged that a senior BJP leader was involved in the case. While the BJP has denied the allegations, opposition parties and local residents have intensified protests demanding a CBI probe into the case.