New Delhi, Nov 19 (IANS) The Delhi High Court Monday dismissed the bail plea of former Haryana minister Gopal Goyal Kanda, accused of abetting the suicide of former flight attendant Geetika Sharma.
Justice Pratibha Rani after hearing arguments from police and Kanda dismissed his bail plea and said that detailed order will be passed later.
The former Haryana minister was booked for abetment to former employee Geetika's suicide and criminal intimidation.
During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General Sidharth Luthra, appearing for police, opposed Kanda's bail plea, saying the investigation of the case was underway and at this stage bail could not be granted to him.
"In view of his past conduct, his power, nature of offence he committed, he should not be given bail," Luthra said. "We are in the process of investigation, we are recording statements and we are also gathering evidence in the case."
Police also said that the two suicide notes written by Geetika clearly indicated Kanda's involvement.
Appearing for Kanda, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi asked how long his client would remain in jail. "So many months have passed, how long my client would remain in jail? Is this the punishment?"
Rohatgi said: "At most, the case made out against me is that I had infatuation for the girl, at best I encouraged her to be with me, and this cannot be the case of abetment of suicide."
"I wanted her to be with me, why I would want her to commit suicide," asked Rohatgi. "She could have turmoil in her mind that she could not go away or stay back..."
Geetika, 23, was found hanging from the ceiling of a room at her Ashok Vihar house in north Delhi Aug 5. She left behind two suicide notes blaming Kanda and his employee Aruna Chaddha, a former official in Kanda's now−defunct MDLR Airlines where Geetika had worked. Both are now in judicial custody and have denied any involvement in the suicide.
Kanda moved the high court, challenging the trial court order dismissing his bail plea.
The trial court Sep 20 rejected Kanda's bail plea and observed that the investigation was at an initial stage and the release of the accused on bail could hamper the investigation.
