Gurgaon/New Delhi, August 8
Former Haryana Minister of State Gopal Kanda, accused of abetting the suicide of his former employee Geetika Sharma, failed to turn up for police questioning on Wednesday and was declared an absconder. The Delhi Police has arrested his aide and HR manager of the MDLR group, Aruna Chadha.

Kanda was reportedly seen leaving his Gurgaon residence early in the morning after which his whereabouts are unknown. After he failed to report for police questioning, a raiding party went to his farmhouse in Gwal Phari, Gurgaon, but failed to find him. The police is now sending parties to raid various places where he could be found.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (North West District) Dr P Karunakarn confirmed Aruna Chadha’s arrest. A charge of abetment to suicide under IPC section 306 was earlier registered against her. Today, she was booked under a fresh charge of IPC section 120B (Punishment of Criminal Conspiracy).

The former minister is said to be evading arrest in a bid to strike an out-of-court compromise with the family of Geetika Sharma.

Through his lawyer, Kanda had sought three more days to prepare his defence. The Delhi Police had rejected Kanda’s request and asked his lawyer to present the former minister before the police.

Geetika’s family alleged that the police were giving Kanda time to wriggle out of the case. “They should have arrested him on Day One itself, but they have been busy questioning us.

The pressure to end our fight is mounting. We are being threatened and even being lured with money, but nothing can replace Geetika,” said the family.

The Delhi Police had for four days not sent a team to Kanda’s Gurgaon residence to question him even once on the ground that the police does not have enough evidence against him. It was only after his disappearance today that the police swung into action and reached his farmhouse.

Meanwhile, Delhi Police has deployed teams to trace Kanda. Plans are afoot to issue a non-bailable arrest warrant against him, police sources said.

Fearing arrest, Gopal Kanda moved a Delhi court on Wednesday seeking anticipatory bail, hours after his aide Aruna Chadha was arrested. The application will come up for hearing on Thursday. — PTI