Delhi HC summons Trial Court records in ex-Haryana Minister Gopal Kanda's matter
Oct 18, 2023
New Delhi [India], October 18 : The Delhi High Court has summoned the Trial Court Record in Gopal Kanda's matter related to abetting the suicide of Anuradha Sharma, who died six months after her daughter (Gitika Sharma) died by suicide in August 2012.
The order was passed on an application filed by the State through Additional Public Prosecutor Amit Sahni.
State had challenged the decision of Additional Sessions Judge, which had set aside an order of a magisterial court summoning former Haryana minister Gopal Kanda and his aide, Aruna Chaddha.
Police had filed a Closure Report in the matter, which was rejected by the magisterial court and taken cognizance of IPC sections 306 (abetment of suicide) and 34 (common intention) and summoned the accused.
Earlier the matter was listed before Justice DK Sharma in August 2023, who had posted the matter for hearing on 30-10-2023.
Additional Public Prosecutor Amit Sahni moved an application on behalf of the State for summoning Trial Court Record. Sahni argued that the Trial Court Record is quite essential for the adjudication of the Petition. Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma allowed the application on behalf of the state on October 12, 2023 and directed that the Trial Court Record in digitized form be summoned for the date already fixed for October 31.
Earlier in February 2013, Anuradha Sharma was found hanging from the same fan in the same room at her Ashok Vihar residence as her daughter. In a suicide note, the 52-year-old government employee accused former Haryana minister Gopal Goyal Kanda and his close aide Aruna Chadha of forcing her and her daughter to take the extreme step.
Recently on July 25, 2023 Delhi court while acquitted Former Haryana Minister Gopal Goyal Kanda and one other in air hostess Geetika Sharma suicide case, said the possibility of deceased Geetika Sharma committing suicide due to other reasons also cannot be ruled out.
The court noted that prosecution has failed to prove offence under Section 306 (Abetment of suicide) read with 120-B IPC that accused persons pursuant to criminal conspiracy, had created such circumstances, due to which deceased Geetika Sharma had no option but to commit suicide and the possibility of deceased Geetika Sharma committing suicide due to other reasons, as discussed hereinabove also cannot be ruled out.
Geetika, a former air hostess, who was earlier employed with Kanda's MDLR airlines, was found dead on August 5, 2012 at her Ashok Vihar residence in North West Delhi.
A suicide note was also found naming accused Gopal Goyal and co-accused Aruna Chadha as the persons responsible for her death. She had said she was ending her life due to "harassment" by Kanda and Chadha. Later, Kanda was forced to resign from his post of minister of state for home in Haryana following the registration of the case.
