New Delhi/Gurgaon/Sirsa, Aug 9
A Delhi court on Thursday dismissed the anticipatory bail application of absconding Haryana former minister Gopal Kanda stating that the allegations against him were “grave and serious” even as the Delhi Police issued a look-out notice for him. Kanda is being investigated in connection with the suicide of his ex-employee Geetika Sharma.

Kanda's bail plea was rejected minutes after another court allowed the custodial interrogation of his employee Aruna Chaddha, who has also been accused of abetting Geetika’s suicide.

"The allegations against Kanda are grave and serious in nature, there are allegations of calls being made from other phone and SMSs have been sent to her and all this is required to be investigated thoroughly," Additional Sessions Judge Rajnish Bhatnagar said.

"The investigation is at an intial stage and the release of accused (Kanda) would hamper it. Therefore, keeping in view the facts and circumstances..., the bail application lacks merit and is hereby dismissed," the judge said.

Kanda has not yet joined the probe, while Chaddha was arrested yesterday.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Devender Kumar Jangala allowed the police to interrogate Chaddha in its custody for two days as the police said she was not cooperating in the suicide probe.

The ACMM had allowed the plea of the police against Chaddha saying the investigating officer (IO) has given the specific ground for seeking police custody of the accused.

Investigators intensified search operations to arrest Kanda. Six police teams conducted searches across Haryana on Thursday, with two raiding parties searching Kanda’s Civil Line residence and Hotel Park Plaza in Sushant Lok, Gurgaon.

The parties grilled staff about the whereabouts of Kanda though they failed to get much information. Sources say that Park Plaza was raided after police got a tip off that Kanda was hiding there.

"He is absconding. We are searching for him. We will arrest him," P Karunakaran, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North-West), said. Geetika (23), a former air hostess with Kanda's MDLR airline, alleged in her suicide note that she was ending her life due to harassment by Kanda and MDLR official Aruna Chaddha. Kanda and Chaddha have denied the allegations.

Geetika's brother Ankit alleged that the former minister, if not arrested, will tamper with evidence. "He is playing with evidence for the past four days. He is absconding which means he is guilty," he said.

Sirsa: Earlier, in a midnight swoop, a Delhi police team on Wednesday night raided Kanda’s Sirsa residence and other business establishments in a bid to arrest him. Led by Aas Mohammad, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Ashok Vihar area of Delhi, the team first went to the City Police Station and sought the help of the local police after registering its arrival with the police.

The team first went to Shoe Camp office of the former minister situated at Hisaria Bazar. After finding the building locked, it moved towards the palatial residence of Kanda brothers on Rania road.

After searching the house for over 20 minutes, the six-member Delhi police team went to the nearby Murli Dhar Kanda (MDK) International School. Geetika Sharma, who held Kanda and his company MDLR Airlines’ HR Manager Aruna Chadha responsible for her suicide, was a senior functionary at the MDK school.

After staying in the school for nearly 10 minutes, the police party went to the City Police Station and returned to Delhi.

“No comments,” replied Delhi cops to the questions of media persons.

SC notice to Kanda brothers

The Supreme Court on Thursday sought Gopal Kanda’s response to a petition by an INLD activist seeking registration of a case against him for attempting to murder the petitioner in Sirsa district on April 3, 2010. A bench of Justices P Sathasivam and Ranjan Gogoi issued notice to Kanda and his brother, Govind, on the petition filed by Pradeep Godara.