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Runaway ex-minister spoils police's plans
Police's investigation in the Geetika Sharma suicide case has suffered a setback. While MDLR HR manager Aruna Chaddha has been sent to judicial custody, the police have been unable to trace former minister Gopal Kanda.
Police's investigation in the Geetika Sharma suicide case has suffered a setback. While MDLR HR manager Aruna Chaddha has been sent to judicial custody, the police have been unable to trace former minister Gopal Kanda. This has put paid to their plans of confronting Kanda with Chaddha.
Both have been accused of abetting the suicide of Sharma, a 23-year-old former airhostess with Kanda's company. The police wanted to build a strong case by interrogating Kanda in the presence of Chaddha.
Sources said Kanda too does not want to be interrogated in her presence. Experts now said that Chaddha's statement will be treated as a statement of the co-accused, which is not considered strong evidence.
"Even if police arrest Kanda now, he can easily deny his role in the case. Crucial details revealed by Chaddha will be of no use then. Had the police managed to nab him, they would have confronted him with the details provided by Chaddha in front of her," a senior police officer said.
Relative detained
In another development, a team of Delhi Police detained one Bunty Bansal, one of Kanda's relatives, from Sirsa in an early raid on Thursday. A team of nearly 20 police personnel led by ACP Kawal Preet Singh reached Sirsa on Wednesday night, and raided various hideouts before detaining Bansal.
Sources said that Bansal was detained after his mobile phone records revealed that he had been in regular touch with Kanda. Shilpa, Bansal's wife, said: "Police seized three mobile phones before taking away my husband." Delhi Police have already raided the former minister's palatial house in Sirsa twice last week, and questioned his family members.
Following this second arrest, panic has gripped Kanda's supporters. Many are now either keeping their phones switched off, or have left on religious tours, fearing police crackdown.
Earlier, one Mandeep Singh from Sirsa had been detained from Gurgaon after the police found out that Kanda had used his mobile phone to call Sharma.
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