Geetika Suicide Case : Ex-Haryana Minister Gopal Kanda Arrested

After the 13 days of suicide of Geetika Sharma, Ex-Haryana Minister Gopal Kanda was arrested today. Gopal Kanda surrendered before police early this morning and was arrested for accused of abetting the suicide of 23-year-old ex-airhostess Geetika Sharma.

23-year-old ex-airhostess Geetika Sharma committed suicide at her north Delhi’s Ashok Vihar residence on August 5 alleging that she was harassed by her former employer Gopal Kanda. She was found hanging at her second floor house by her parents.

Geetika earlier worked as a flight attendant in the MDLR Airlines. Sharma joined MDLR (Murali Dhar Lakhpat Rai) airline in 2007. After the airlines ceased to function in 2009, she was offered another job in the MDLR group owned by Kanda, but refused. Sharma moved to Emirates airline.

“She was under training in Dubai when Kanda emailed to Emirates that she had defaulted on loan in India. He also raised questions about her character. The airline sacked her and she returned to India in 2010,” said Sharma’s cousin Gaurav.

Kanda employee, Aruna Chaddha, a senior functionary with the now defunct MDLR airlines, has already been arrested and is in judicial custody in connection with the suicide of Geetika Sharma.

In her suicide note, Geetika had alleged that Mr Kanda and MDLR official Aruna Chaddha were harassing her to rejoin the former minister’s firm after she left the job. But both Kanda and Aruna have denied the allegations.

Gopal Goyal Kanda is a member of the 12th Haryana Legislative Assembly of India. He represented the Sirsa constituency of Haryana and is anIndependent candidate.