Haryana, December 26: Refuting the charge that he had shielded former DGP S P S Rathore in the Ruchika molestation case, former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala on Friday said while he had taken action against the officer, he was promoted by other governments.
“We took strong action against him. During my government (in 1990), we instituted a departmental inquiry against him.
In my tenure later, we suspended him from the post of DGP as he was facing charge sheet in the case. He (Rathore) was promoted to the post of ADGP and DGP during the governments of Bhajan Lal and Bansi Lal. They should be blamed for the promotion,” he told reporters in New Delhi.
On Thursday, S C Girhotra, Ruchika’s father accused Chautala of shielding Rathore in the case. Rathore, who molested 14-year-old budding tennis player in 1990, was sentenced to six-month imprisonment, 19 years after the incident.
Chautala said he, as chief minister, did not recommend Rathore for President’s medal and that his name was forwarded for the award as part of a routine bureaucratic process.
“I did not recommended him for the medal. That was done as part of a routine work by officers. The issue (recommendation) did not come to my notice,” he said.
Chautala said his government had taken strong action by initiating departmental inquiry against Rathore.
Ruchika was molested by Rathore, the then IG of Police. She committed suicide three years later by consuming poison.
Girhotra has demanded that the former DGP should be punished for abetment to suicide instead of being let off with a lighter six month sentence.
—Agencies