Dehradun CBI Court Orders Narco And Polygraph Tests For Actor Urmila Sanawar

Court Order

A special Central Bureau of Investigation court in Dehradun has approved narco-analysis and polygraph tests for television actress Urmila Sanawar in the Ankita Bhandari murder case investigation. Her lawyer, Shivani Tomar, confirmed that her client gave voluntary consent and her statement was recorded in court. The tests will take place in Gujarat, with a medical examination expected by the third week of November to confirm the final schedule.

Background

The case centers on an audio recording concerning a purported conversation about an influential VIP linked to the 2022 murder of 19-year-old receptionist Ankita Bhandari at Vanantra Resort in Uttarakhand. Resort owner Pulkit Arya, son of a former BJP leader, and two aides were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2025. Ms. Sanawar released recordings in December 2025 claiming a connection to the murder, later identifying Sikkim Governor Dushyant Kumar Gautam as the alleged VIP. Mr. Gautam has denied the allegations, accused her of circulating fabricated recordings, and filed a defamation suit in the Delhi High Court.

Related Arrests

Ms. Sanawar was previously arrested in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, on October 25, in connection with a separate case. A fresh FIR was registered against her in Dehradun over alleged defamatory remarks against Mr. Gautam and other BJP leaders following a complaint by Deepika Rathore. She was later granted bail by a Haridwar court in a separate defamation and extortion case. The CBI, which took over the probe in February 2026, also issued notices to former BJP MLA Suresh Rathore over the audio recording.

Context

High-profile criminal investigations in India sometimes involve scientific truth-seeking procedures like narco-analysis and polygraph examinations when investigators seek to probe witness statements or claims made in disputed recordings. Such court-approved procedures form part of broader evidence-gathering efforts by central agencies like the CBI when handling sensitive cases that attract significant public and political attention.