Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], October 21 (ANI): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) intensified its probe into the high-profile Ankita Bhandari murder case on Wednesday, serving a formal notice to actress Urmila Sanawar at her residence in Saharanpur to appear for a narco-analysis test.
The development follows an ongoing investigation into a viral audio clip linked to the high-profile murder case.
According to Sanawar, a CBI team arrived at her home on Wednesday after a preliminary four-hour questioning session held on October 18.
"The CBI questioned me on the 18th. Today, I received a call from a CBI officer asking if I was at home. Upon arriving at my residence, they served me a notice for a narco-analysis test and asked me to appear before them the day after tomorrow at 10:30 AM. This notice is related to the audio clip that went viral in the Ankita Bhandari murder case," Sanawar told ANI.
The official notice served to Sanawar directs her personal appearance on October 23, 2026, to ascertain her voluntary consent for narcotics examinations.
Highlighting the legal directive, the notice stated, “Now, therefore, you are hereby directed to appear in person before this Court on 23/10/2026 at 10:30 AM for the purpose of ascertaining whether you are willing to undergo the proposed Polygraph Test and Narco Test (Lie detection Tests) examination voluntarily and without any coercion, undue influence, threat, inducement or pressure from any person or authority. You are accordingly directed to appear before this Court on the date and time specified above.”
Expressing satisfaction with the renewed momentum of the probe while reflecting on earlier delays and public demonstrations by the victim's family, Sanawar added, "Look, it feels good. If every daughter gets justice like this, and if the justice process had moved this swiftly from the very beginning, then perhaps Ankita Bhandari’s parents would not have had to sit in protest outside India Gate. Also, seeing someone who falls under a criminal category in this matter being nominated to a high post has hurt their feelings, hurt our feelings, and deeply hurt the sentiments of the entire people of Uttarakhand.
Sanawar questioned the timeline of the federal inquiry, emphasising the role of public pressure.
She said, “Now the process has been accelerated by the CBI, but wasn't the CBI case kept on the back burner for the past nine months? If they hadn't gone there to protest, or if the opposition hadn't raised this issue, perhaps the CBI inquiry would still be in cold storage today.”
Sanawar further confirmed her full cooperation with federal authorities regarding the narco test procedures.
“As you saw, the day before yesterday, the CBI questioned us for four hours. Then they asked us if we agreed to undergo a narco test. We told them that since we had already shared everything we knew and responded to all their questions, we were fully agreeable to a narco test. So, regarding that, they brought this notice summoning us to Dehradun the day after tomorrow," Urmila Sanawar said.
With the notice formally served, Sanawar is scheduled to present herself before the designated authority in Dehradun on October 23 to complete the procedural requirements.
This comes amid the row over the alleged involvement of a "VIP" in the Ankita Bhandari murder case, which has escalated following the appointment of former BJP Uttarakhand in-charge Dushyant Gautam as the Governor of Sikkim.
Earlier in the month, a four-member CBI team had reached actress Sanawar’s residence in Saharanpur in connection with the Ankita Bhandari murder case.
On Saturday, the CBI team reached the residence of Former Uttarakhand BJP MLA Suresh Rathore for interrogation.
Speaking to reporters in Haridwar, Rathore said, “I cooperated with the investigation—nothing more, nothing less. I have no further comment. I have no further comment. We provided full cooperation to the CBI during their questioning...I have shared everything relevant to the investigation.”
On Friday, parents of Ankita Bhandari met with senior officials at the CBI headquarters and provided information regarding various aspects of the case.
The row is linked to the September 2022 murder of Ankita Bhandari, a receptionist at a resort near Rishikesh, Uttarakhand. (ANI)
Ankita Bhandari murder case: CBI issues notice to Urmila Sanawar for narco-analysis test
