HC upset, Haryana govt fails to file reply in Ruchika case

HC upset, Haryana govt fails to file reply in Ruchika case

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday expressed its displeasure as the Haryana government failed to file its reply in time in connection with a public suit filed by a human rights activist in the molestation case of teenager Ruchika Girhotra. As reported by The Times Of India.

In the public interest litigation (PIL) filed Dec 29, Ranjan Lakhanpal, who is also a senior lawyer, had sought that former Haryana police chief S.P.S. Rathore be charged under Section 305 (abetment of suicide of a minor) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) since he allegedly drove teenager Ruchika to suicide in 1993.

Rathore was convicted Dec 21 by a CBI special court here for molesting budding tennis player Ruchika Aug 12, 1990, in Haryana's Panchkula town, 10 km from here. He was awarded a six-month jail term but he was immediately granted bail.

During the last hearing Jan 7, the court had issued notices to the Haryana government and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and told them to submit their reply on Lakhanpal's petition in 10 days.

However, the Haryana government's lawyer sought two months' time from the court Wednesday to submit their reply.

On this, the high court bench consisting of Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal and Justice Jasbir Singh pulled up the state government and expressed displeasure.

The matter will be heard by the high court Feb 4.

The CBI filed its reply in connection with this PIL.

"In our reply we have given a detailed account of the CBI's investigation so far. Like we said, the CBI registered the case in 2000 and then we also mentioned about the court's proceedings and our probe in our reply," Ajay Kaushik, said the CBI's lawyer.

Abha Rathore, counsel and wife of the former Haryana police chief, also filed an application in the same court Wednesday, appealing to settle this PIL before Feb 8 as the hearing challenging Rathore's six-month punishment is scheduled in a local court here on the same day.

Rathore To Face CBI

Rathore To Face CBI
The CBI is likely to question former Haryana DGP SPS Rathore on Friday in connection with the Ruchika Girhotra molestation case. As reported by NDTV.
Rathore was last questioned by CBI in 2000 when it was probing the molestation charge against him.
According to sources, the CBI has asked him to be present at its camp office on Friday. Ruchika Girhotra's family lawyer, Pankaj Bharadwaj, says that if Rathore is not able to justify the allegation against him, the CBI has the power to detain him and send him into custody.
Sources revealed CBI officials had visited Rathore’s house in Sector-6, Panchkula, on Sunday and served a notice to him
Since Rathore has not been given interim bail, he can, in the words of Bharadwaj, be picked up any time. The Girhotra lawyer points out that the, "CBI also knows that his custodial interrogation is required."
In December, a court sentenced Rathore to six months in prison for molesting Ruchika. After the sentence, her family and friends filed three new cases against Rathore.
The most serious case against Rathore is driving Ruchika to commit suicide.
Rathore, in 1990, molested 14-year-old Ruchika Girhotra. After Ruchika complained against him, Rathore allegedly used his position as a senior police officer in Haryana to harass her family and her. The family has in particular alleged that her brother Ashu was implicated in false cases and tortured by Rathore and that this played an important part in Ruchika committing suicide.
The Girhotra lawyer says, "Ashu is a very important witness, and they have questioned others as well...pointers very clearly show that they (CBI) are very progressing fast."
He brushes away the Veena factor, saying that "even if it is proved that she had something to do with Mr Girhotra, it would not affect the case under 306 (abetment to suicide) till the time she says I am the reason for her to commit suicide. Rather she has given a statement that she had a good relationship with Ruchika."
Veena is the mystery woman in the Ruchika Girhotra story. The Rathores claim that Ruchika's father Subhash Girhotra had married Veena and the "step-mother" was the reason Ruchika committed suicide. But Ruchika's family and friends say Veena was just a governess and Subhash Girhotra did not get married a second time.

Home Ministry sends Reminder on show cause notice to Rathore

Home Ministry sends Reminder on show cause notice to Rathore

20th Jan 2010
Mumbai: The government today sent a fresh reminder to former Haryana DGP SPS Rathore, convicted in the Ruchika molestation case, on a show cause notice asking why his pension should not be reduced and his police medal not withdrawn for allegedly abusing power.
The reminder was sent as Rathore has failed to respond to the notice sent to him on December 26, 2009 by the stipulated January 15 deadline, official sources said.As stated by DNA News

The notice, stating his conduct was allegedly unbecoming of a police officer, was served on Rathore, the sources said.

The disgraced police officer has been sentenced by a court to six months jail for molesting 14-year-old Ruchika nearly two decades ago.

With the light sentence awarded to him creating an uproar, the Central Police Awards Committee (CPAC), headed by Union Home Secretary Gopal K Pillai, on January 4 had recommended to the President for the withdrawal of police medal given to Rathore.

Rathore, a 1965-batch IPS officer who retired in 2002, was awarded the Police Medal for Meritorious service on August 15, 1985.