Suicide note may seal Gopal Kanda’s fate

The extreme step taken by Geetika Sharma’s mother Anuradha is likely to make the case against former Haryana minister Gopal Goyal Kanda and his employee Aruna Chadha stronger, police and lawyers said on Saturday. Jatin Anand reports. More trouble

The extreme step taken by Geetika Sharma’s mother Anuradha is likely to make the case against former Haryana minister Gopal Goyal Kanda and his employee Aruna Chadha stronger, police and lawyers said on Saturday.

Police have already filed a fresh case accusing Kanda and Chadha of abetting 52-year-old Anuradha’s suicide on the basis of a note she left behind. Sources told HT this is likely to prolong their stint behind bars.

Anuradha committed suicide on Friday by hanging herself in the same room as her daughter. In her suicide note, she said she could not get over the loss of her daughter and blamed Kanda and Chadha for Geetika’s death.

“Proving a case of abetment to suicide, which carries a maximum term of 10-year imprisonment, is difficult in court,” said a police officer. “But Anuradha blaming both Kanda and Chadha in her suicide note will strengthen our argument in the Geetika suicide case.”

This will be possible if police can convince the court to treat Anuradha’s suicide note as a dying declaration against Kanda and Chadha, who are lodged in Rohini Jail.

“Both cases cannot be clubbed and tried together. The fresh case will demand a fresh chargesheet and a fresh trial. But Anuradha’s suicide note can be used as a crucial bit of evidence in Geetika’s case,” said Vikas Garg, a senior advocate.

Geetika’s suicide note — left behind after her death in August last year — had also alleged ‘mental harassment’ by her boss Kanda, who was managing director of the MDLR group. Geetika was an airhostess in the group’s airline venture.