HC to hear plea on how trial court granted bail to Kanda

The Delhi High Court, on Friday, agreed to examine the issue that despite this court's ruling not to grant bail to any accused to attend assembly or parliament session, the trial court had allowed former Haryana minister Gopal Kanda in former airhostess Geetika Sharma suicide case.

Justice J R Midha posted for October 21 the plea of Delhi police challenging the trial court's September 5 order granting Kanda, a sitting MLA from Sirsa, interim bail to attend the Haryana assembly Session.

The court order came after Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Sidharth Luthra cited the high court's earlier order, and said it had refused permission to Suresh Kalmadi, facing trial in CWG scam case, in similar circumstances but the trial court had granted interim bail to Kanda, which is against the 'judicial discipline."

Meanwhile, Kanda, on Friday, surrendered before a trial court in New Delhi upon expiry of his month-long interim bail in the case.

Refusing to extend his interim bail, the trial judge said he will hear Kanda's plea for regular bail on October 10.

On September 27, Delhi Police had moved the high court for quashing the trial court's order granting interim bail to Kanda and his employee Aruna Chadha whose bail will expire on November 15.

Chadha was arrested on August 8 last year while Kanda had surrendered before police 10 days later on August 18. The trial in the case began on May 27 this year.

Chadha and Kanda are accused of abetting the suicide of 23-year-old former airhostess Sharma who was employed in Kanda's MDLR airlines.

They have also been charged with forgery for cheating and harming the reputation of the victim and under the Information Technology Act for sending fake e-mails to her.

The former airhostess was found dead on August 5, 2012, at her Ashok Vihar residence in north west Delhi. In her suicide note, she had said she was ending her life due to "harassment" by Kanda and Chadha.

Police had in its charge sheet alleged that Kanda was obsessed with the victim and was putting pressure on her to come back to his company.