Booked for ex-airhostess Geetika Sharma's 'suicide', Haryana minister Kanda resigns

Haryana Minister of State for Home Gopal Goyal Kanda resigned today evening after he was booked by the police for "abetment to suicide" over the death of Geetika Sharma, a former employee in Delhi.

Ex- airhostess suicide case

In her "suicide note", Geetika Sharma accused Kanda, the Chairman and Managing Director of MDLR, of "ruining" her and hurting her family. Sharma used to work as an airhostess with the now-defunct MDLR Airlines, and resigned as an executive director about a month ago.

Police have also filed a case of "abetment to suicide" against an MDLR manager, Aruna Chadha, also named by Sharma in the two-page note.

Just 23, Sharma had risen through the ranks of the company to become its executive director before she put in her papers. In her alleged note, she accused Kanda and Chadha of betraying her trust and cheating numerous people.

Kanda, an Independent MLA who held Home, Urban Bodies and Industry and Commerce portfolios, said he was resigning from all departments to ensure an "impartial" probe. Denying any direct links with Sharma, the 46-year-old said: "I don't know why she has done it. I feel sad for her, she was a good employee... I have full faith in the law. I am confident I will come out clean after investigations."

Around 9.20 am on Sunday, the police control room received a call from Sharma's uncle, saying they had found her hanging from the ceiling fan in her room that was locked from inside. The Sharmas live in a flat in north-west Delhi's Ashok Vihar Phase III. The relatives had broken into the room and contacted the police. While Sharma was rushed to hospital, she was declared dead on arrival.

The police are awaiting a postmortem report. The charge of abetment to suicide under Section 306 is non-bailable. The police have seized Sharma's personal diary as well as her official papers.

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