This application was allowed by the court on October 23, 2001, but a criminal revision petition was filed by Rathore in the Punjab and Haryana high court.
With former Haryana DGP SPS Rathore getting off with a lighter sentence in the Ruchika Girhotra molestation case, the clamour to charge him with abetment of suicide charge has grown louder.
In fact, an attempt was made in this regard and an application for addition of offence under Section 306 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) (abetment to suicide) along with offence under Section 354 (molestation) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of woman) of IPC was moved by the applicant Madhu Prakash on October 8, 2001.
Madhu Parkash's daughter Anuradha was an eyewitness to the incident.
This application was allowed by the court on October 23, 2001, and the court started the proceedings, but a criminal revision petition was filed by Rathore in the Punjab and Haryana high court which accepted the revision in 2002.
Thereafter, accused was served the notice of accusation under Section 354 (molestation) of IPC on March 17, 2003 to which he pleaded not guilty and claimed regular trial which commenced about 13 years after the molestation of Ruchika, who committed suicide in 1993.
Before that Madhu Parkash had to move various courts to get an FIR registered with the Haryana police which also came about nine years after the incident.
The FIR was registered after over nine years on the basis of a memorandum dated August 16, 1990 submitted by SC Girhotra, father of Ruchika and others, addressed to the financial commissioner and secretary, home in which the incident of molestation of the tennis player was detailed.
Later, a complaint was submitted to the then home secretary of Haryana JK Duggal.
Duggal after discussing the matter with the then state home minister on August 20, 1990 asked the DGP RR Singh to probe the matter.
Local special district magistrate SK Joshi at the direction of Duggal also visited the spot "to hear the grievances of the parents and the member players" on August 16, 1990.
After conducting the enquiry into the incident DGP RR Singh concluded that whatever Ruchika "had stated about her molestation by Rathore was based on true facts and that he was of the considered opinion that a cognisable offence was made out".
Singh, therefore, had recommended registration of case under appropriate sections of Indian Penal Code and had forwarded his enquiry report dated September 3, 1990 to the home secretary.
Ruchika committed suicide by consuming poison on December 28, 1993 and died the following day.
Later, since the family had expressed lack of faith in the investigation of the Haryana police, the case was handed over to the CBI which established that Rathore, IPS as president of Haryana Lawn Tennis Association, molested Ruchika on August 12, 1990 knowing that his act was likely to outrage the modesty of Ruchika.
Rathore thus committed the offence punishable under Section 354 IPC (molestation), therefore, he be summoned and tried according to law, the CBI said. The regular trial first commenced at Ambala, then it moved to Patiala in Punjab and finally to Chandigarh where it concluded this week.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}