Kanda's office, home searched

Gurgaon, Aug 19 (IANS) The office and house of former Haryana minister Gopal Goyal Kanda, accused of abetting the suicide of former flight attendant Geetika Sharma, here were Sunday searched and electronic items and files seized, Delhi Police said.

Kanda, who is under seven days police custody, was taken to the office of his now-defunct MDLR Airlines for a three-hour-long search, said a member of the police team.

Electronic items, including a computer server, hard disks and three files were seized. Besides these, articles wrapped in a bed-sheet were also recovered, he said.

Kanda was later taken to his house in the Civil Lines area. The police search there lasted nearly half an hour.

During the search operation and questioning at MDLR office, Kanda's relatives and family members, including two women, were also present, sources said.

Kanda was arrested in Delhi Saturday after he surrendered at a police station. He was later sent to police custody for questioning.

He was on the run since Aug 8 after Geetika, 23, accused him and another official of MDLR Airlines, Aruna Chaddha, of harassing her and forcing her to commit suicide. She died on the night of Aug 4-5 at her house in Ashok Vihar. Chaddha is in judicial custody.

Kanda, who was forced to resign as minister of state for home and urban local bodies in Haryana in the face of public outcry over Geetika's suicide, was booked for abetment to suicide.