Dehradun, Aug. 20 -- The Uttarakhand high court on Wednesday rejected the bail applications of the three men convicted of killing a 19-year-old receptionist in Pauri Garhwal in September 2022, including former BJP leader's son Pulkit Arya. A division bench of justices Ravindra Maithani and Siddhartha Sah rejected the applications filed by Arya and his associates Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta. The court noted the seriousness of the matter while rejecting the pleas. The defence counsel, led by advocate Arvind Vashisht, called into question aspects of the evidence presented by the prosecution, particularly regarding the verification and evidentiary value of WhatsApp messages and call detail records the prosecution relied upon. The three men are currently serving life sentences following their conviction by the Kotdwar Sessions Court on May 30, 2025. Arya, the owner of Vanantara Resort near Rishikesh, was sentenced to life imprisonment under Sections 302, 201 and 354(A) of the Indian Penal Code. Bhaskar, who served as the resort's manager, and Gupta were sentenced to life imprisonment under Sections 302 and 201 of the IPC. They subsequently challenged the trial court's verdict before the high court, where their appeals remain pending. Officials said the rejection of the bail pleas reflected the effectiveness of the prosecution's legal representation. They said the government had consistently opposed attempts by the convicts to secure release and remained committed to ensuring justice for the victim. Soon after the case came to light, CM Pushkar Singh Dhami directed the authorities to take strict action. The accused were arrested within 24 hours and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted to conduct the investigation. Action was also initiated against the accused under the Gangster Act. The investigation resulted in a charge sheet of around 500 pages, containing crucial evidence and statements from approximately 100 witnesses. . The state government said it also gave priority to the wishes and concerns of the Pauri receptionist girl's parents throughout the legal process. Government counsels were changed three times in accordance with the family's wishes. When the Pauri receptionist girl's parents demanded a CBI investigation, Dhami respected their demand and ordered a probe. The government also provided Rs.25 lakh in financial assistance to the Pauri receptionist girl's family. In addition, employment was provided to both her father and brother as part of the government's efforts to support the family, officials said....