Recording of prosecution evidence in Kanda case to begin on Nov 27 before Delhi court

The case against newly-elected controversial Haryana politician Gopal Goyal Kanda for allegedly abetting suicide of an air hostess is dragging for seven years in a Delhi court which is yet to complete recording of prosecution evidence.

Kanda, who has pledged unconditional support to the BJP in the Haryana Assembly, has been asked to appear before Special Judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar on November 27 and 28.

On October 4 and 11, the court had granted him exemption from personal appearance after he had informed that he was busy in election campaign for Sirsa assembly constituency which he was contesting as a candidate of Haryana Lokhit Party.

The court has fixed November 27 and 28 for recording of the prosecution evidence in the case.

Geetika Sharma, the air hostess employed with Kanda's MLDR airlines, was found dead on August 5, 2012 at her Ashok Vihar residence in northwest Delhi.

In her suicide note, she had said that she was ending her life due to "harassment" allegedly by Kanda and his employee Aruna Chadha.

The proceedings in the case was delayed as special public prosecutor Rajiv Mohan was not appearing in the matter.

The judge also noted that the court has received a copy of an order from the director of prosecution informing that advocate Manish Rawat has been appointed prosecutor in the case.

Rawat has been appointed in place of special public prosecutor Rajiv Mohan on behalf of the state to conduct the trial.

The development came after the court took strong objection to Mohan's non-appearance in the case who has not been appearing since September 23.

The matter had come before the designated court on April 12, 2019 but since the trail has not witnessed any progress.

The court had said it was a very strange situation where the state was showing the least interest in prosecution of this case.

It said the court had to discharge three witnesses unexamined on Thursday as Mohan did not turn up.