Air hostess Geetika Sharma worked with MDLR Airlines, which is owned by Kanda, at the time of her death in Delhi in August 2012. She allegedly included Kanda in her suicide note as one of the factors that led her to take her own life.

On Tuesday July 25, a Delhi court cleared former Haryana minister Gopal Goyal Kanda of the allegations of aiding suicide in connection with the 2012 death of flight hostess Geetika Sharma. Aruna Chadha, a co-accused in the case, was also cleared by Special Judge Vikas Dhull after he ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove its case against them beyond a reasonable doubt.

Sharma was employed by MDLR Airlines, which was owned by Kanda, at the time of her death in Delhi in August 2012. She accused Kanda of ‘mental harassment’ in her suicide note. At the time, he was managing director of the MDLR group and the Haryana government’s Minister of State for Home Affairs. Sharma’s mother also committed herself the following year.

Sharma was employed by MDLR Airlines, which was owned by Kanda, at the time of her death in Delhi in August 2012. She accused Kanda of ‘mental harassment’ in her suicide note. At the time, he was managing director of the MDLR group and the Haryana government’s Minister of State for Home Affairs. Sharma’s mother also committed herself the following year.

Kanda has remained blameless. In an interview with The Indian Express in 2019, he stated: “The fact is, I did nothing wrong. Any accusation can be made against anyone by anyone. Am I the only elected candidate who is currently involved in a criminal investigation? At least 12 MLAs are being prosecuted in multiple criminal prosecutions for a variety of offences.

 

Who is Gopal Kanda?

Currently serving as the Haryana Lokhit Party’s representative from the Sirsa seat, Kanda is a member of the Haryana Legislative Assembly. In May 2014, he and his brother Govind Kanda launched the party. At the time, he was seen as a significant figure who may assist the BJP in putting together a new Haryana administration. In the wake of the 2019 State Assembly elections, his party supported the BJP.

In the 90s, Kanda started with a radio repair shop, with a few hundred rupees in monthly earnings. From there, he and his brother got into the shoe business and opened a store in Sirsa. The young Kanda used his friend circle to reach traders, businessmen and politicians and gained their trust. He and his brother soon opened a shoe factory.

He had political ambitions, for which he first got close to Haryana’s former Chief Minister Bansi Lal of the Congress party. But as Bansi Lal’s government fell, Kanda switched sides to the Chautalas (whose Indian National Lok Dal backed the NDA). His friendship with a senior Haryana cadre IAS officer helped Kanda expand his business. From Sirsa, Kanda shifted his base to Gurgaon and started dealing in real-estate.

Gopal Kanda’s rise

In 2007, Kanda announced the launch of MDLR airlines, named after his father Murli Dhar Lakh Ram. Murli Dhar was a renowned advocate in Sirsa and had joined the RSS in 1926.

After its launch, the MDLR airlines had a short flight and was grounded within two years. Kanda first attempted to contest on INLD’s ticket, but was not considered. He then fought as an independent candidate from Sirsa and won.

This was when Bhupinder Hooda, of the Congress party, was looking for a second term as Chief Minister in 2009. Congress fell short of majority and Hooda got Kanda airlifted from Sirsa. A hard-bargainer, Kanda did not rest for anything less than a ministerial berth and got the Home portfolio.

Gopal and his brother Govind Kanda used to be close aides of the Chautala brothers. Gopal was considered a key man of Abhay Chautala of the INLD till 2005. But their relationship strained when Chautalas did not allow him to contest in their citadel of Sirsa.

While serving as a minister for home in the Haryana government, Kanda was arrested in the Geetika Sharma case and stepped down from the post. In 2013, the Delhi High Court dropped the sexual exploitation charges against Kanda and he was released on bail. In 2016, the Kanda brothers faced charges of illegally developing a property in Sirsa, a case that had been under investigation since 2009.

A magistrate’s order summoning Kanda and his aide Aruna Chadha was set aside by a Delhi court in 2020, observing that in the entire record file there is “not even a single complaint or report regarding any threats extended by the petitioners.”

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