Former Haryana Minister of State Gopal Kanda, has been acquitted by the court after a long legal battle of 11 years, accused in Delhi’s famous Geetika Sharma suicide case. While giving its verdict on Tuesday in this case, Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court also acquitted the other accused Aruna Chadha.
Tuesday, Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court acquitted former Haryana Minister Gopal Goyal Kanda and the other accuse Aruna Chadha in abetment of the suicide of Geetika Sharma case. The court said the possibility of the former air hostess committing suicide due to other reasons also cannot be ruled out.
“Any sane and prudent person would not socialise or take benefits or favours from the very person, who creates stress and tension in his or her life”, court observed in its order.
The Matter
On August 5, 2012, Geetika Sharma, an air hostess who was working in Gopal Kanda Airlines, committed suicide by hanging herself at her Ashok Vihar home. In the suicide note, Geetika blamed Kanda and Aruna Chadha, a senior manager in his MDLR company.
Gopal Kanda Journey
Gopal Kanda in 80’s, he started with TV repair shop and then started footwear factor and opened showrooms. Further he also tried his luck in real estate business. In year 2005, he jumped into designer clothes, opened showroom and soon he started exporting clothes. He then started his own airlines in the name of his father, Murli Dhar Lakh Ram (MDLR) in year 2007.
In the year 2009, he won the election from Sirsa (City) constituency as an independent candidate. After the election he played a key role and supported the Congress to form the government and in return was rewarded with the post of Minister of State for Home Affairs.
In year 2012, he resigned from the post of Minister of State for Home Affairs after he was made accused in the Geetika case. He also closed the airline business.
Kanda spent 18 months in jail in the case. He got bail in March 2014. About six months after Geetika’s suicide, Gatika’s mother also committed suicide and Kanda was blamed for her death.
Geetika Committed suicide at her father’s residence
Geetika Sharma, who worked as an air hostess for Gopal Kanda’s MDLR Airlines and later became a director in one of his corporate offices in Gurgaon. On August 5, 2012, Geetika Sharma committed suicide at her father’s Ashok Vihar, North West Delhi residence.
In her two-page suicide note, Geetika Sharma accused Gopal Kanda and Aruna Chadha, of subjecting her to “harassment” which led her to take her own life.
Geetika blamed Gopal Kanda and Aruna Chadha in her two-page suicide note. “Today, I am killing myself because I am broken from the inside. My trust has been broken, and I have been betrayed. Gopal Kanda and Aruna Aruna Chadha are responsible for my death. Both broke my trust and used me for their benefit. These people ruined my life, and now these people are trying to harm my family. Both of them should be punished for this wrongdoing.”
Important dates in the Case, Year 2012:
August 5: Geetika was found hanging at her house;
August 5: Police recovered a suicide note from Geetika’s house;
August 5, 2012: Kanda resigned from the post of minister after police registered the case against him;
August 7: Kanda denied all allegations against him during investigation;
August 8: Aruna Chadha, was arrested;
August 8: Police failed to trace Kanda;
August 8: Kanda moved for anticipatory bail;
August 9: Police issues lookout notice against Kanda;
August 17: Court rejected Kanda’s bail plea;
August 18: Kanda surrendered at Delhi’s Ashok Vihar police station.
Charges filed under Abetment of suicide and Rape
Aruna Chadha and Gopal Kanda were charged under IPC sections 306 (abetment of suicide), 506 (criminal intimidation), 201 (destruction of evidence), 120B (criminal conspiracy), and 466 (forgery). Additionally, charges of rape (376) and unnatural sex (377) were initially filed against Gopal Kanda.
Aruna Chadha was arrested on August 8, 2012, and Gopal Kanda surrendered on August 18, 2012
Tuesday, the Delhi Court dropped all the charges.
What’s the verdict?
The Delhi court observed that the prosecution has failed to establish that Kanda’s conspiracy led to such circumstances that the deceased Geetika Sharma was left with no option but to commit suicide.
The court also observed that the deceased Geetika and Aruna were good friends and Geetika used to share her secrets with her and she also used to socialize with her.
“Any sane and prudent person would not socialize or take benefits or favours from the person who creates stress and tension. The act of accused A-1 Gopal Goyal Kanda in appointing deceased Geetika Sharma as Director, the President of Sundale Educational Society, providing her BMW car, sponsoring her MBA Course and taking her along with him to Singapore can by no stretch of imagination be treated as an act of accused A-1 Gopal Goyal Kanda by which he wanted to create circumstances for deceased Geetika Sharma wherein she had no option but to commit suicide,” the court said.