Uttarakhand receptionist murder case accused was running resort illegally: SIT

The chief of the special investigation team (SIT) investigating the Uttarakhand woman receptionist murder case on Friday said the Vanatara resort owned by the key accused and expelled Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vinod Arya’s son, Pulkit Arya, was not registered with the Uttarakhand tourism department.

The resort is located in Ganga Bhogpur Talla in the Yamkeshwar area of Pauri Garhwal district.

“The resort also didn’t have a fire NOC (No Objection Certificate) either, ‘’ said deputy inspector general of police (DIG) P Renuka Devi, who is heading the SIT. She added that they have written to the authorities concerned to take necessary action and inform them of the same.

The SIT chief said their investigation into the matter is underway and they have received some forensic science laboratory (FSL) reports and some more are yet to come. However, it raised questions on the local authorities for allowing the resort to operate illegally for years.

When contacted, SDM Yamkeshwar Pramod Kumar and district tourism officer Prakash Singh Khatri didn’t respond to calls.

After the receptionist murder came to light, the district administration demolished the alleged illegal construction of the Vanantara resort using a bulldozer, prompting the woman’s family to question the action, saying it may have destroyed the evidence at the crime scene.

Meanwhile, the officials known to the matter said the police have so far recorded statements of over 30 witnesses, of which six have testified before the court. Recently, the SIT added charges of sexual harassment and inducing a person for prostitution. They were earlier booked for murder, criminal conspiracy and disappearance of evidence. Following the incident, a couple from Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut had alleged that several illegal activities like prostitution and drugs were regularly carried out on the premises owned by the key accused.

The 19-year-old woman, who was working as a receptionist at the Vanantara Resort was allegedly murdered by the three accused for refusing to provide “extra service” to the VIP guests, the police said. A WhatsApp conversation between the victim and her close friend, which went viral on social media, hinted at the victim being forced to provide “extra service” to the VIP guest expected to come at the resort on September 19.

In the backdrop of the incident, action, including imposition of fines, was taken against illegal resorts and hotels in both Kumaon and Garhwal region.

Tourism minister Satpal Maharaj last Friday directed the tourism secretary Sachin Kurve to submit a list of all hotels, home stays and resorts and take action against those without registration.