Former Haryana minister Gopal Goyal Kanda, accused of abetting the suicide of a former air hostess, got interim bail from a Delhi court so that he could attend the state assembly.
Additional Sessions Judge MC Gupta granted the bail till October 4 to Kanda, who has been in custody for the past 13 months. Kanda represents Sirsa in the Haryana assembly.
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The court asked him to furnish a personal bond of Rs 5 lakh and a surety of like amount. “He has to perform many obligations for his people. Funds for his constituency are unutilised. The public is suffering,” Kanda’s lawyer said.
Delhi Police had opposed Kanda’s interim bail, saying there was reasonable apprehension that he would tamper with evidence. “In February, there was a Haryana assembly session. When Kanda did not feel the need to seek bail for attending that session, why is he seeking it now?” the prosecutor asked.
The backstory
Kanda and his aide Aruna Chaddha were accused of abetting the suicide of a 23-year-old air hostess Geetika. The victim left behind a note accusing Kanda and Chaddha of harassing her. She committed suicide on the night of August 5, 2012.