Delhi HC Directs Congress and AAP to Take Down Posts Linking BJP Leader Dushyant Kumar Gautam to Ankita Bhandari Case

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday, 7 January 2026, directed the Indian National Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party to remove social media posts that allegedly linked BJP National General Secretary and former Rajya Sabha MP Dushyant Kumar Gautam to the 2022 Ankita Bhandari murder case.

The order was passed by Justice Mini Pushkarna while hearing a defamation suit filed by Gautam against several individuals and entities accused of posting and circulating defamatory content portraying him as a “VIP” allegedly involved in the Ankita Bhandari case.

Observing that the plaintiff had established a prima facie case, Justice Pushkarna held, “The balance of convenience lies in favour of the plaintiff, and irreparable injury would be caused if the defendants are not restrained from posting the defamatory content.”

The Court also extended the interim restraint to other persons and organisations named in the suit, including Urmila Sanawar and the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee.

It further directed that if the defendants fail to comply with the takedown order within 24 hours, social media intermediaries Meta and Google shall remove the impugned posts in accordance with the Information Technology Rules.

During the hearing, senior advocate Gaurav Bhatia, appearing for Gautam, contended that the defamatory material had been circulated by national political parties with millions of followers, thereby severely damaging the plaintiff’s reputation and public standing.

According to the plaint, the social media campaign falsely associates Gautam with the Ankita Bhandari murder despite the fact that he has never been named as an accused or otherwise implicated by any investigating agency.

It has been further alleged that the content amounts to fabricated fake news, deliberately manufactured and amplified by political rivals to gain undue political advantage and tarnish his image.

The defamation suit stems from a viral audio clip released by actor Urmila Sanawar, who claims to be the wife of former MLA Suresh Rathore, in which reference was allegedly made to a “VIP” connected to the case.

The controversy traces back to 2022, when 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari, a receptionist at the Vanantra Resort in Uttarakhand’s Pauri district, was murdered. The case involved allegations that she was being pressured to provide sexual favours to resort guests. The resort owner, Pulkit Arya, along with two employees, Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta, were later arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment by a sessions court.

Case Title: Dushyant Kumar Gautam v. Urmila Sana War & Ors.

Bench: Justice Mini Pushkarna

Hearing Date: 7 January

Inputs: ANI