M A I N   N E W S

DGP Rathore appears in court
Gets exemption; next hearing on Nov 29
Tribune News Service

AMBALA, Nov 27 — Director General of Haryana Police SPS Rathore was today personally present in the court of the Special Magistrate for CBI cases in Haryana, Mr A K Tyagi, when the hearing in the Ruchika case was adjourned for November 29.

The court will hear on November 29, the reply filed by counsel of DGP Rathore on the application for condonation of delay filed by the CBI. The judge today exempted the DGP from personal appearance on the next date.

In a jam-packed courtroom, the CBI counsel contended that the counsels of Mr Rathore should file a reply in the case today. However, the lawyers representing Mr Rathore sought a long date which was turned down by Mr Tyagi who said since the case was already late, the defense lawyers must file a reply on November 29.

The defense lawyers submitted that they wanted to see the chargesheet and other documents including the statement of witnesses. This was, however, contested on the ground that the documents were confidential and should be supplied to the defense only after the charges were framed.

Earlier in the day, Ms Madhu Prakash, through her counsel, moved an application in the court praying that the applicant/complainant may be allowed to engage a private counsel and the state may be directed to provide a copy of the challan to the applicant at her cost.

The application states that the complainant-applicant has been pursuing the complaint from the very beginning to get justice. “The accused has the patronage of the government and it is only after the intervention of the honourable Supreme Court, the challan has been put up against the accused,” the application states.

“The complainant-applicant is well conversant with the facts of the case and wants to assist the state and is interested to engage a private counsel so that the complainant-applicant may pursue the case in more efficacious manner...That the complainant-applicant also requires copy of the challan put up before the honourable court by the state against the accused so that the complainant and his private counsel, to be appointed, may be a helping hand to the prosecution and honourable court, so as to reach on a better conclusion,” the application further states.

The case dates back to 1990 when Mr Rathore, then, Inspector General of Police and President of the Haryana Lawn Tennis Association, allegedly molested Ruchika, a 14-year-old schoolgoing daughter of a bank officer. Ruchika, a promising tennis player, three years later committed suicide after she and her family were allegedly harassed by Mr Rathore.

Outside the court of the Special Magistrate Mr Anand Prakash and Ms Madhu Anand said they wanted justice and were prepared to fight for 10 more years.

They said they had complete faith in the CBI. “Our main aim is to seek justice and we are prepared to fight for it,” they said. “Our fight will be within the system,” Mr Anand Prakash added. On the Human Rights Commission, they said action should be taken without any delay.

The Director General of Police, Haryana, Mr SPS Rathore, who was present in plainclothes, said the matter was before the court. “I have full faith in judiciary and democracy,” he said.

Mr Rathore said the case was a “frame-up” and that he was under no obligation to step down since the case was sub-judice.