Ankita Bhandari's parents released after India Gate detention

The detention occurred at 4 am as demonstrators demanded justice and questioned the constitutional appointment of Gautam. Congress leaders Pawan Khera, Jothimani, and Imran Pratapgarhi continued their own protest inside the police station following their detention earlier that morning. Khera condemned the police response, characterizing the treatment of the grieving parents as an erosion of democratic freedoms while criticizing the government for elevating an accused figure to a high-ranking post.

This demonstration follows a meeting between the parents and opposition figures Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday. The family has called for a central investigation into the new governor, citing alleged connections to the case. Ankita Bhandari was murdered in September 2022; her killer, resort owner Pulkit Arya, was sentenced to life imprisonment in May 2025 alongside two accomplices for the crime.