A Delhi court on Tuesday acquitted former Haryana minister Gopal Goyal Kanda in a case of abetment of suicide of air hostess Geetika Sharma. Special Judge Vikas Dhull also acquitted co-accused Aruna Chadha in the case, saying the prosecution failed to prove the charges beyond all reasonable doubts. They were also charged under Sections 506 (criminal intimidation), 201 (destruction of evidence), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 466 (forgery).

Died in 2012

Geetika, who was employed with Kanda’s MDLR Airlines before it shut in 2009, was found dead at her residence in Delhi on August 5, 2012. In her suicide note, Geetika had said she was ending her life due to “harassment” by Kanda and Chadha. Thereafter, Kanda resigned from his post of minister of state for home.