Delhi court acquits ex-Haryana minister Gopal Kanda in 2012 airhostess Geetika Sharma suicide case

Former Haryana minister Gopal Goyal Kanda and his aide Aruna Chadha have been acquitted by a Delhi court in the case of abetment of suicide of former air hostess Geetika Sharma. The court cited the prosecution's failure to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt as the reason for the acquittal.

As per the court's order, Kanda and Chadha are required to submit a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh and be present if the police decide to appeal against their acquittal.

Kanda, who served as a minister in the previous Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Congress government in Haryana, had been facing multiple charges, including abetment of suicide (306), criminal intimidation (506), destruction of evidence (201), criminal conspiracy (120B), and forgery (466). Additionally, there were accusations of rape (376) and unnatural sex (377) against him, but they were later dropped by the Delhi High Court.

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About the 2012 air-hostess Geetika Sharma's suicide case

On August 5, 2012, Geetika Sharma, a former air hostess employed with Kanda's MLDR airlines, was tragically found dead at her residence in Ashok Vihar, North West Delhi. In a heart-wrenching suicide note, she cited "harassment" by Gopal Goyal Kanda and his associate Aruna Chadha as the reason for taking her own life.

As a result of the case being registered, Kanda, who is also the leader of the Haryana Lokhit Party and holds a position as an MLA from the Sirsa Assembly constituency in Haryana, was compelled to step down from his role as the minister of state for home.

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The incident garnered significant media attention and public outrage, leading to a lengthy legal battle. However, on July 25, 2023, a Delhi court acquitted both Kanda and Chadha, stating that the prosecution had failed to establish the charges beyond a reasonable doubt. While the court's decision marked the end of the trial, the tragic episode left behind a profound impact on Geetika's family and continues to be remembered as a distressing chapter in India's legal history.