M A I N   N E W S

Rathore gets interim relief
Allowed bail till Jan 7 if he’s arrested
Arun Sharma
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, January 1
Tainted former Haryana top cop SPS Rathore today got interim relief from a court here that allowed him bail till January 7 if he is arrested for the two fresh cases registered against him in connection with the Ruchika molestation episode.

The former DGP had sought anticipatory bail two days ago in two cases slapped on him by the local police on complaints of Ruchika’s father and her brother, Ashu.

“At this stage, the court is not exercising its power either to grant or refuse the anticipatory bail to the petitioner. And in case Rathore is arrested by the police before January 7 — the next date of hearing — he would get bail by furnishing bonds of Rs 1 lakh in each of the two cases,” said District and Sessions judge, SP Singh.

While issuing a notice to the state government asking it to submit a reply by January 6, the court also directed the ex-DGP Rathore to submit himself for interrogation if police officials wanted to ask him something. He has been told not to leave the country.

Ruchika’s father and brother, in their fresh complaints, had accused Rathore of attempt to murder, forging documents, illegal detention and many other criminal offences.

Earlier, Rathore’s wife and his counsel, Abha Rathore, submitted before the court that Ruchika did not commit suicide because of the molestation case but due to pressure from her alleged stepmother, Veena Girhotra.

“Rathore should not be arrested till the investigations in the matter were over and we are ready to face the inquiry,” pleaded Abha Rathore before the court.

The Punjab and Haryana High court had already absolved Rathore against charges under Section 306 (abetment to suicide) in the case seven years ago and the decision of the HC was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2005, she further contended.

The Girhotras did not level allegation of attempt to murder in the past 19 years. Now, they were coming up with new charges to become heroes in the media,” she stated.

Abha claimed that while Subhash Girhotra and Anand Prakash had shady past, Madhu Prakash, wife of Anand Prakash, had fabricated many documents pertaining to the case.

She further said Girhotra, in a statement made before a CBI court in 2005, claimed that Ruchika had strained relations with Veena, who was her stepmother.

CBI to take over cases
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 1
The CBI is set to take over investigation of all fresh FIRs registered against former Haryana DGP SPS Rathore in the Ruchika molestation and suicide case.

Sources in the government today indicated that the CBI might take over two fresh cases registered by the Haryana Police in Panchkula three days ago. The CBI would also be entrusted with the job of probing the case of abetment to suicide under Section 306 for which Ruchika’s brother Ashu had given an application to the Panchkula police.

It would probe the role of Rathore and it would also focus on the role of policemen, including then SP KP Singh, for their involvement in the alleged illegal detention and torture of Ruchika's brother.

Sources in the Home Ministry said the Haryana Police would register an abetment to suicide case under Section 306 of the IPC against Rathore who got away with a light sentence of six-month imprisonment in the Ruchika molestation case. Once the Haryana Police formally registers a case, it will be transferred to the CBI. Sources in Haryana said the state government would have no objection to the CBI taking over the case.

The other two FIRs already registered relate to harassment of Ashu, which include an attempt to murder charge and doctoring of the post-mortem report of Ruchika.

Other serious allegations to be probed by the CBI would be the claim of Ruchika's family that they were threatened by Rathore to cremate her on the day post-mortem was conducted after her suicide in 1993. Allegations that Rathore had told Ruchika's father Subhash Girhotra that Ashu, who was in police custody, would be released only after the family conceded his demand of her immediate cremation would also be probed by the CBI, the sources added.

The sources said the family did as was told and Ashu was released the next day. A day after Ashu's release, the family sold its house in Panchkula which was alleged to have been brought by a person close to Rathore, they said.