Ankita Bhandari murder case: BJP expels Vinod Arya, son Ankit Arya from party after Pulkit’s arrest

Following widespread outrage over the murder of a young girl by a senior BJP leader's son, the BJP on Saturday expelled senior BJP leader Vinod Arya (accused's father) and Ankit Arya, who was also a party member, have been expelled following the accused Pulkit Arya's arrest.

In a major development, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday has expelled senior leader Vinod Arya and his son Ankit Arya, the father and brother of main accused Pulkit Arya, in connection with the murder case of a 19-year-old receptionist Ankita Bhandari. They have been suspended from the party with immediate effect.

Meanwhile, Ankit Arya has been relieved by the Uttarakhand government from the post of Deputy Chairman of the Uttarakhand Other Backward Classes Commission.

Earlier in the day, locals set Vanatara resort, owned by Pulkit Arya, on fire. Three accused, including Pulkit, have been arrested in connection with the murder case.

The action comes after Vinod Arya's son, Pulkit Arya, was arrested for the murder of the young receptionist at a resort he owns near Rishikesh, in Pauri district, Uttarakhand.  He had reported her missing on Monday, as did her family, but police said it later turned out he, along with two staff members, had killed her. The woman's body was recovered from a canal this morning.

Besides Pulkit Arya, resort manager Saurabh Bhaskar and assistant manager Ankit Gupta have been arrested. They confessed to the crime when questioned sternly, cops said.