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DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami recommended Friday a CBI inquiry into the “mystery VIP” connected with the 2022 murder of a 19-year-old receptionist at a Rishikesh resort owned by a BJP functionary’s son, reports Kautilya Singh. The decision came following days of protests by several civic groups and opposition Congress on the issue, as well as two days after the chief minister met the victim’s parents, who had handed him a letter seeking a CBI probe under the supervision of a Supreme Court judge. In the letter, the girl’s father said his daughter was murdered because of a “VIP” whose identity remains unknown.Told kin we’d follow their suggestion: DhamiA day later, the parents had reiterated their demand, adding they “won’t rest” till they “find out about the VIP”. Announcing the decision, CM Pushkar Singh Dhami said, “From the very beginning, our aim has been to ensure justice in a fair, transparent and sensitive manner, and that commitment will continue. We had assured the victim’s parents that the line of probe they suggested would be followed.” Last month, audio and video clips allegedly released by Haridwar-based actor Urmila Sanawar circulated in which former BJP MLA Suresh Rathore can purportedly be heard telling her about a “VIP”, who he alleged was BJP national general secretary Dushyant Gautam. State Congress chief Ganesh Godiyal said, “By recommending a CBI probe, govt has accepted there were faults in the initial probe. This is a win for the people and Congress. We demand that the investigation be carried out under the supervision of a Supreme Court or high court judge.” State BJP chief Mahendra Bhatt welcomed the decision, calling it in line with public sentiment and saying it would “expose the opposition’s lies”.
