New Delhi, August 14
The Delhi High Court today reserved its verdict on the anticipatory bail plea of former Haryana minister Gopal Goyal Kanda who has been evading the police in connection with the alleged suicide of his former employee Geetika Sharma.

Arguing before Justice PK Bhasin, Additional Solicitor-General (ASG) Siddharth Luthra said the Delhi Police wanted to subject Kanda to custodial interrogation which was necessary to unravel the conspiracy behind the suicide.

“We have incriminating evidence against him. Prima facie, he is an offender at this stage,” Luthra said.

Luthra opposed Kanda’s plea, contending that he had gone into hiding after removing from his office his laptop, desktop computer and other gadgets which could be vital pieces of evidence in the case.

Kanda’s senior counsel KTS Tulsi, however, argued that his client did not respond to the police notice as he feared that he would be apprehended.

Luthra said Kanda, the main accused, had to be confronted with Aruna Chadha, a senior official of his company, the MDLR group, and co-accused in the case. Kanda and Chadha possibly had conspired to instigate Geetika to commit suicide. “The computers of the two accused and of Geetika are missing,” Luthra informed the court.

The ASG said Kanda and Chadha were mentally harassing Geetika and this caused her to commit suicide.

Luthra quoted a passage from the statement of Ankit, Geetika’s brother: “At 1 am on August 5, Geetika telephoned me and said that due to Kanda and Chadha, she was in tension. She said that they were harassing her. She told me that Kanda was a clever man and was after her. She was scared that he would attack our parents and me.”

Tulsi, however, said Kanda was merely asking her to sign some papers or resign. “This can’t be pressure. An employer has a right to ask this from his employee,” he said.

On August 5, when Geetika allegedly committed suicide at her residence in Delhi, a two-page suicide note was found there. In the note she allegedly blamed Chadha and Kanda as being responsible for her death.

Kanda’s senior counsel KTS Tulsi said, “The suicide note cannot be the gospel truth and the same has to be proved by independent evidence,” added Tulsi. Kanda yesterday moved the Delhi HC for an anticipatory bail, saying that Geetika was a “hypersensitive” girl and her alleged suicide was due to an “unsound mind and of a frustrated individual”.

Luthra, however, added, “The suicide note does not show that Geetika was a person who is hypersensitive, but someone who wants freedom and start her life on her own.” The police is also verifying Chadha’s claims that she had accompanied Geetika to a gynaecologist for her abortion.

Sirsa, August 14
With former Haryana minister Gopal Kanda still at large in the Geetika Sharma suicide case, a team of the Delhi police that has been camping here for the past several days again raided his establishments in Sirsa today to know of his whereabouts.

Suraj Bhan, an inspector who led the raids, said the police also raided the houses of two of Kanda’s confidants in Ramnagria village.

He said both the confidants were not available in their houses and their family members were questioned. He said the police went to Kanda’s Camp Office in Hisaria Bazaar, MDK International School, Tara Baba Kutiya and Kanda’s palatial house at Rania road of Sirsa town.

He said in Kanda’s house, his mother was the only family member present.

While one of the two Kanda confidants could not be contacted, the other denied that the police came to his residence.

“I have been sitting in front of the television set since morning to know the outcome of Kanda’s bail application in the Delhi High Court. No policeman has come to my house,” the Kanda confidant claimed.

Gurgaon, August 14
Even after repeated orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the concessionaire of the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway has failed to set up well-equipped additional booths in the toll-collection lanes on each side of the Delhi-Gurgaon toll plaza to ensure smooth traffic movement.

In the last orders passed on July 31, the court had directed the concessionaire - Delhi-Gurgaon Super Connectivity Limited (DGSCL) - to install five additional booths equipped with computers in all toll-collection lanes on each side of the plaza within seven days of the passing of the order.

However, a visit to the plaza by The Tribune team revealed that no such arrangement has been put in place yet. Only a few temporary kiosks were functional in some lanes and the persons manning these had hand-held devices rather than computers.

Vehicles were either stuck in traffic jams or moved at a snail’s pace. In fact, there was even more chaos due to the slow and haphazard processing of toll-collection operations.

“It seems that the concessionaire had put the kiosks as a mere formality to show to the court and evade its wrath,” said Ashok Kumar, a regular commuter on the route.

On being contacted for comments, Gurgaon Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Bharti Arora maintained that the expressway concessionaire had failed to comply with the directions of the high court and would have to bear the consequences.

“We have been asking the concessionaire to do the needful to ensure the smooth flow of traffic and commuters’ convenience, but to no avail…In the status report to be filed by us on the next hearing on August 16, we will urge the high court to initiate contempt proceedings against the concessionaire,” she disclosed.

Sirsa, August 14
Senior police officers from Barnala, Punjab, are making efforts to resolve the issue of detention of six policemen from that district by the Sirsa police yesterday. The Punjab cops were detained when they allegedly shot at a villager whom they were chasing yesterday and after hundreds of villagers surrounded their vehicles near Bhawdin village.

While the Punjab police is tightlipped on the issue, hundreds of angry villagers allege that the Punjab police wanted to kidnap a youth, Lakhbir, at the instance of a business rival in Punjab.

Lakhbir’s brother Sukhbir Singh alleged that Lakhbir was in the business of finance and the Punjab police wanted to kidnap him at the instance of his rival.

He said when Lakhbir sped away in his car, the Punjab policemen chased him and opened fire on him, thereby injuring him.

After hundreds of villagers surrounded the Punjab policemen at Bhawdin, the Sirsa police detained them in Ding police station yesterday.

“They have not been arrested but detained for questioning,” maintained Sirsa SP Devender Singh Yadav.

Yadav said he had requested the IG, Hisar, to constitute a special investigation team (SIT) comprising officers of other districts to probe the matter. The villagers, on the other hand, have demanded the arrest of the Punjab policemen and threatened to block the highway in Sirsa.

Sensing tension, the Sirsa police has requisitioned additional force from neighbouring Fatehabad.

Fatehabad SP Satinder Kumar Gupta confirmed that two reserves of the police had been sent to Sirsa.

Efforts were made to contact Barnala SP on his mobile phone.

However, he disconnected the phone after The Tribune sought his version on the episode.

Kurukshetra, August 14
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today said the state government aimed to develop Kurukshetra as not only a spiritual and tourist centre, but also a hub of science and technology. Efforts were being made to bring religious institutions like Iskcon and Akshardham in Kurukshetra.

Mr Hooda was speaking after laying the foundation stone of Sri Venkateswara Swamy (Balaji) Temple here today. The temple would be constructed on an area of 5.52 acres at an estimated cost of Rs 30 crore. The land has been provided by the Kurukshetra Development Board.

The Chief Minister said Sri Venkateswara Swamy (Balaji) Temple would be a replica of Tirupati Balaji Temple in Andhra Pradesh.

The Chief Minister said Kurukshetra was also being established as a hub of science and technology. A planetarium had been set up here in memory of astronaut Kalpana Chawla, the Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition had been started in Jyotisar and a National Institute of Design here would be among the four such national institutes to be set up in the country. Haryana Governor Jagannath Pahadia said the devotees of North India could now visit Kurukshetra to take the blessings of lord Balaji. Naveen Jindal, MP, announced Rs 1 crore for the construction of this temple.

Sonepat, August 14
An educated girl is the corner stone of any civilised society, said Asha Hooda, vice-president, Haryana Child Welfare Council and wife of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, during a function organised at Bhagat Phool Singh Mahila Vishwavidyalaya (BPSMV), Khanpur Kalan, to observe 70th martyrdom day of Bhagat Phool Singh and 98th birth anniversary of Padamshree Subhashini Devi here today.

Asha gave a clarion call to stop female foeticide and establish a society where there is no gender discrimination. She talked of achievements of woman achievers like Indira Gandhi and Kalpana Chawla.

She said women must realise their potential and power. “Girls should be given proper education so that they can empower themselves,” she said. Speaking on the occasion, local MLA Jagbir Singh Malik called for concerted efforts to uplift the status of women education in society.

Hisar, August 14
The police has arrested three persons in connection with an assault on Municipal Engineer Suresh Goyal and building inspector Sandeep Kumar here last evening.

While Goyal has been admitted to a private nursing home, Kumar has been admitted to the General Hospital.

They had gone to Krishna Nagar to stop construction on a plot which had been allegedly illegally occupied by a lawyer. The directions had been issued by Amardeep Jain, SDM.

The police said when the officials reached the site, the lawyer’s son demanded a written order to stop the construction. This led to an altercation which led to the assault.

On being informed the SDM and Geetika Jakhar, DSP, reached there and arrested three persons, Gaurav Beniwal, Rishab Beniwal and Ravi. Gaurav’s father, Rajinder Beniwal, and his wife are also wanted in the case.

Chandigarh, August 14
As many as 19 Haryana Police personnel will be awarded with President’s Police Medals on Independence Day tomorrow. While one of them will be honoured posthumously for gallantry and one for distinguished service, 17 of them will be honoured with President’s Police Medals for meritorious service.

While stating this here today, a spokesman of police department said the President’s Police Medal for gallantry would be awarded to Babu Ram, posthumously. Kulyash Kumar Sharma, Commissioner of Police, Ambala-Panchkula, will get the President's Police Medal for distinguished service.

Those who will be given the President’s Police Medal for meritorious service include Yoginder Singh Nehra, Superintendent of Police (SP), State Vigilance Bureau (SVB), Gurgaon, Dr Rajshree Singh, SP, Mohindergarh, Balwinder Singh, Inspector, Police Control Room, Panchkula, Laxmi Chand, Inspector, Ambala, Balwant Singh, Inspector, Hisar, Virender Kumar, Inspector, MI/Procurement, Ram Chander, Sub-Inspector (SI), Reader, Commissioner of Police, Gurgaon, Jagdish Parsad, SI, Gurgaon, Ram Pal, SI, Haryana Police Academy, Madhuban, Prem Chand, SI, SVB, Panchkula, Tilak Raj, SI, Telecom, Panchkula, Amar Singh, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), Vigilance, Haryana Vidyut Parsaran Nigam, Radhy Sham, ASI, Haryana Police Academy, Madhuban, Raghbir Singh, ASI, 2nd Battalion, Haryana Armed Police, Madhuban, Dharambir Singh, SI, CID, Rajinder Singh, ASI, SVB, Headquarters, and Labh Singh, ASI, Yamuna Nagar.

Hisar, August 14
A sense of insecurity has gripped students and staff of Guru Jambheshwar University(GJU) of Science and Technology here following the murder of a girl student on the campus last week.

The GJU Non-teaching Employees Association has expressed concern over the increasing frequency of violent incidents inside the campus. In a press note, Hoshiar Singh Yadav, president of the association, said the administration should conduct a through probe into the girl’s murder and take strong action against any officials of the university guilty of lapses in security. — TNS