CHANDIGARH: Nineteen years after he molested a teenaged girl who later committed suicide, former Haryana Director General of Police S P S Rathore today got away lightly with a court sentencing him to six months rigorous imprisonment and a meagre fine of Rs.1000 for the crime.
CBI' special magistrate J S Sidhu said Rathore will have to undergo another one month RI in case of default. The girl's family felt he has escaped with a light punishment.
Under Sec.354 of the IPC, a person held guilty of molestation charge can face a prison term of upto two years.
14-year-old Ruchika Girhotra, a promising tennis player, was molested by Rathore, the then Inspector General of Police in Haryana, on August 12, 1990. She encountered Rathore through the tennis circuit. He was then also the President of Haryana Lawn Tennis Association. She committed suicide three years later by drinking poison.
Rathore and his advocate wife Abha Rathore were present in the court room. "I have great faith in the judicial system.
So I will file an appeal by January 20. I will finally be a winner because truth will certainly prevail," Rathore, who retired as DGP, told reporters after the verdict.
Investigation into the case was handed over to the CBI in 1998. Ruchika's family moved out of Chandigarh. They alleged that they were being harassed by the police in retaliation for the case against Rathore.