Anuradha Sharma, who allegedly hanged herself in her house at Ashok Vihar in North-West Delhi on Friday six months after her daughter committed suicide, was a key witness in the case who had alleged that she had received threat calls from the former Haryana Minister, Gopal Kanda, and his close aide Aruna Chadha for two consecutive days before her daughter ended her life on August 5 last.
Anuradha had told the police that she received a call from Aruna on August 3 at 8.39 p.m. and during the conversation, that lasted over 16 minutes, Aruna cast aspersions on Geetika’s character and then told the mother to ensure that her daughter resigned from Sundale Education Society and returned the admission fee paid for her enrolment in an MBA institute. The money was purportedly paid by Mr. Kanda.
A disturbed Anuradha tried to contact Mr. Kanda the next day, but did not get any response from him. He called back the same day at 10.51 p.m. Anuradha then asked him about the allegations made by his aide against her daughter. Geetika’s mother alleged that Mr. Kanda used abusive language and reiterated the same allegations, threatening to lodge a case against Geetika in Gurgaon if she did not rejoin his company, MDLR Group.
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An upset Anuradha narrated the allegations to Geetika, who under tremendous mental distress allegedly hanged herself hours later.
Police investigations revealed that Mr. Kanda allegedly forced Geetika to commit suicide through “malicious and wilful acts of mental torture, threat, blackmail and stress” and criminal intimidation spread over two years. According to the police, her appointment in Mr. Kanda’s company, rapid promotions and strange service conditions despite her being under-aged and inadequately qualified indicated that he had “evil designs” on her right from day one.
When Geetika quit MDLR to join a Dubai-based airline, Mr. Kanda allegedly levelled against her charges of forgery, cheating and fraud forcing her to quit and return to India. According to the police, she underwent an abortion in March 2012 and allotment of a property to her father earlier facilitated by Mr. Kanda was cancelled a couple of days ago before her death.
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The police have, in their charge sheet, listed a series of documentary and material evidence alleging that Mr. Kanda had been putting pressure on Geetika from all quarters in a bid to make her come back to his company. He allegedly got documents forged to issue threats that she was wanted in Dubai and that she would be extradited.
Geetika had then written to the External Affairs Ministry seeking assistance.
Investigations revealed that the former Minister allegedly used SIM cards of MDLR employees to call up Geetika and her family. According to the police, two of the mobile phones used were destroyed, but they managed to recover one.
Geetika had joined MDLR Airlines as a flight attendant and worked there till the airline stopped operations in 2009.
After a short stint with the international airline in Dubai, in 2011 she rejoined MDLR as a director in one of its subsidiaries. But she soon left the company again and enrolled for a management course.