Geetika Sharma suicide: Gopal Kanda surrenders as interim bail expires

New Delhi: Former Haryana Minister Gopal Kanda today surrendered before a Delhi court upon expiry of his month-long interim bail in the Geetika Sharma suicide case. He was taken into custody after being denied further relief. The sitting MLA from Sirsa in Haryana, Kanda surrendered at 10 A.M. before Additional Sessions Judge MC Gupta, who rejected his plea for extension of interim bail, which expired today. He is facing charges of having abetted the suicide by the former airhostess. The court will now hear Kanda’s plea for a regular bail on October 10. [caption id=“attachment_1152765” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File picture of Gopal Kanda. PTI. [/caption] Kanda was granted interim bail on September 5, after nearly 13 months in custody, to attend the Haryana Assembly session on condition that he would show his attendance in the House. The court had directed that he surrender before it on October 4 at 10 A.M. Kanda had sought extension of bail citing various obligations which he had to attend to in his constituency. Kanda’s co-accused and employee, Aruna Chadha, is out on interim bail till November 15 to attend religious and family events. Chadha was arrested on August 8 last year while Kanda had surrendered before police 10 days later on August 18. The trial in the case began this year on May 27. Chadha and Kanda are accused of abetting the suicide of 23-year-old former airhostess Sharma who was employed in Kanda’s MDLR airlines. They have also been charged with forgery for cheating and harming the reputation of the victim and under the Information Technology Act for sending fake e-mails to her. The former airhostess was found dead on August 5, 2012, at her Ashok Vihar residence in north west Delhi. In her suicide note, she had said she was ending her life due to “harassment” by Kanda and Chadha. Police had in its charge sheet said Kanda was obsessed with the victim and was putting pressure on her to come back to his company. PTIG