Geetika suicide case: Case transfer to fast track court quashed

The Delhi High Court Friday set aside the trial court order forwarding the former airhostess Geetika Sharma suicide case to a fast track court to be tried for sexual offences.

The high court had earlier dismissed charges of abetment of rape and unnatural sex offences against former Haryana minister Gopal Goyal Kanda and aide Aruna Chadha. The court had also said that charges of rape and unnatural sex cannot be sustained against prime accused Kanda.

Chadha moved the high court seeking clarification of its order, as the fast track court referred the matter back to the district judge to mark the case to a regular court after the high court quashed rape and unnatural sex charges against her. However, the district judge again sent the case to fast track court.

She asked the court to clarify its order as offences that are tried in fast track court were quashed against her but still her case has been sent to the fast track court.

Justice G.P. Mittal, quashing the trial court order transferring the matter to fast track court, said that when it was clearly mentioned in the high court order that offences related to sexual offences are quashed, then why did the trial court not understand it.

Meanwhile, Chadha moved high court for regular bail, which will be heard on Nov 25.

Chadha and Kanda have been charged with rape, abetment of rape, abetment of suicide, criminal conspiracy, forgery under the Indian Penal Code and Information Technology Act for hacking computers and sending offensive or false messages.

The air hostess was found hanging from the ceiling fan of a room at her house in north Delhi Aug 5 last year.

She left behind two suicide notes blaming Kanda and Chadha, who are now in judicial custody, but have denied any involvement in the suicide.

In their charge sheet, police had said that Kanda was obsessed with the air hostess and he and Chadha had unleashed a series of wilful and malicious acts of mental torture, threat, blackmail and stress on her, which led her to take the extreme step.

Kanda was arrested Aug 18 last year after he surrendered at north Delhi's Ashok Vihar police, while Chadha was apprehended Aug 8. Police filed the charge sheet Oct 6.