Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: Controversial former Haryana minister Gopal Kanda, a key accused in the Geetika Sharma suicide case, on Saturday was remanded to 7-day police custody after he was produced before a Delhi court.
Kanda, who surrendered before police early this morning, after being on the run for the past 10 days, was arrested in connection to the case. Later in the day he was produced in a Rohini court amid tight security cover.
During the hearing the police sought 14-day remand of Kanda saying that he is the sole source through whom they can collect all the documents and key evidence relating to the case.
"Therefore, keeping in view the cumulative facts and circumstances and material produced, I am of the considered opinion that seven days police custody remand of the accused Gopal Goyal Kanda shall be sufficient for interrogation and recovery of alleged material”, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate DK Jangala said.
After a dramatic build-up in which his brother was arrested last night, Kanda, who failed to get anticipatory bail from the Delhi High Court, surfaced at Ashok Vihar Police Station at 4 am hoodwinking policemen deployed across North-West Delhi to apprehend him.
Soon after Kanda emerged from a van with media stickers in front of the police station, some policemen rushed out and took him inside.
Before entering the police station, Kanda told media persons, who were waiting there anticipating his surrender, "I came here on my own will to help the investigation."
Kanda, who was last seen coming out of his Gurgaon residence on August 8, was served with a notice to join investigations on August 7.
Geetika's brother Ankit alleged that Kanda's surrender was a "pre-planned drama" and the government was helping him.
A magisterial court had on Thursday issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against the former Haryana minister. The court had asked the police to execute the arrest warrant by August 24.
Kanda's employee, Aruna Chaddha, a senior functionary with now defunct MDLR airlines, has already been arrested and is in judicial custody in connection with the suicide of 23-year-old air hostess Geetika Sharma, who allegedly took her life on August 5 at her Ashok Vihar residence.
In her suicide note, Geetika had alleged that Kanda and Chaddha were harassing her to rejoin the former minister's firm after she left the job.
Both Kanda and Chaddha have denied the allegations.
With PTI inputs
First Published: Saturday, August 18, 2012, 08:21