Vinod Arya

He is originally from Roorkee and has a background in the ayurvedic business. His association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh helped his political rise within the BJP. His son, Ankit Arya, also held a position as the vice-president of the state OBC commission.^[1]

In September 2022, Vinod Arya and his son, Ankit Arya, were expelled from the BJP after Vinod's other son, Pulkit Arya, was arrested and charged with the murder of Ankita Bhandari, a receptionist who worked at a resort he owned. The murder case sparked widespread public outrage and protests in Uttarakhand.^[6] Pulkit Arya, along with two other employees of the resort, was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in May 2025 for the murder, destruction of evidence, and criminal conspiracy.^[7]

In December 2022, a case was registered against Vinod Arya for alleged sexual assault and attempted murder, based on a complaint from his former driver. He was booked at the Jwalapur police station in Haridwar under Sections 377 (unnatural offences), 511 (attempting to commit offences), 307 (attempt to murder), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.^[8] Police noted conflicting statements from the complainant during the investigation.^[9][10] Also, a video connected to the allegations circulated widely on social media, showing the staffer bleeding from his left wrist while Arya applies a bandage.^[11]