M A I N   N E W S

Ruchika Molestation & Suicide
Rathore gets away with six-month jail
Smriti Sharma Vasudeva
Tribune News Service

Timeline

Aug 12, 1990: Rathore, then IG, molests Ruchika at his office-cum-home Sept 3, 1990: Inquiry report indicts Rathore Sept 20, 1990: Ruchika expelled from school for ‘indiscipline’ Aug 12, 1992: Case referred to Haryana Chief Secretary for advice· Oct 23, 1993: Ruchika's brother arrested in several theft cases· Dec 28, 1993: Ruchika commits suicide Nov 1994: Rathore gets promoted; no action on inquiry report 1994-1997: Complainant Anand Parkash tries to get copy of the inquiry report; finally gets it in 1997 November 1997: Anand Parkash moves High Court August 21, 1998: High Court directs CBI to conduct inquiry· November 16, 2000: CBI files chargesheet July 2002: Rathore retires· Nov 5, 2009: Case transferred from Ambala court to CBI Chandigarh· Dec 11, 2009: Court closes final arguments, sets date for verdict Dec 15, 2009: Case adjourned till December 21 Dec 21, 2009: CBI court gives six-month jail to Rathore

Chandigarh, December 21
The much-awaited verdict in the 19-year-old Ruchika molestation case came today with the CBI special magistrate, J Sidhu, convicting the former Haryana DGP, SPS Rathore for the crime.

Holding him guilty, Rathore was sentenced to six months rigorous imprisonment and slapped a fine of Rs 1000 on him.

The case dates back to August 12, 1990 when Rathore molested 13-year-old Ruchika Girotra in the office of the Lawn Tennis Association at Panchkula. Ruchika, who reportedly went into depression after the incident, consumed poison on December 28, 1993 and died on December 29.

Rathore was charge-sheeted by the CBI, a decade after the alleged incident in 2000. The delay occurred despite a full-fledged inquiry by the then DGP, R.R. Singh, who indicted Rathore.

Surprisingly, the FIR was filed only on December 29, 1999, nine years after the incident. Even this was done in response to two court orders, one from the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the other from the Supreme Court. Although the CBI had charge-sheeted Rathore on November 16, he continued to hold the post.

The Ruchika case and her suicide was taken to court by the parents of her friend Reemu, alias Aradhana, the key witness to the incident. Reemu’s parents - Anand Prakash and Madhu Prakash - approached the court only after several attempts to get an FIR registered proved futile. The Anands filed a writ petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 1997, seeking directions for the registration of a criminal case under Section 354 of the IPC read with Section 509 against Rathore who was then the Additional Director-General of Police, Haryana.

After studying the RR Singh report, the High Court concluded that a criminal case had to be instituted and directed the CBI to investigate. The Supreme Court on December 14, 1999, upheld the HC order and directed CBI to complete the investigation as expeditiously as possible, preferably within six months.

According to the charge sheet filed by the CBI, Ruchika had alleged in a memorandum to the Financial Commissioner and the State Home Secretary that Rathore had molested her on August 12, 1990 at about 12 noon. During 1988-89, he had formed the Haryana Lawn Tennis Association (HLTA) and become its president. The HLTA had enrolled nearly 60 members youngsters. Ruchika, then 13 years old, and her friend Reemu, were among them. Rathore used to visit the tennis courts in the evening.

Ruchika was suspended from the tennis courts for alleged indiscipline with effect from August 13 - the day after the molestation. Coach and the manager of the court wrote on the suspension order that they were not aware of any act of indiscipline by Ruchika.

It was alleged by the complainants that Ruchika’s family was harassed to such an extent that her father had to sell their house at Panchkula. Her brother had eleven cases slapped on him. Five cases, including civil suits and criminal defamation suits, were registered against Ruchika.