Chandigarh, December 31: In the latest development in the Ruchika Girhotra molestation case, the Ministry of Home Affairs has advised the family to file case of abetment of suicide against ex-Haryana DGP SPS Rathore.
The government’s step follows Home Minister P Chidambaram’s assurance of full support in the case of molestation of Ruchika by Rathore in 1990.
The Home Minister had yesterday discussed the possibility of slapping the charge of abetment of suicide of a minor against Rathore with Ruchika’s father Subhash Chander Girhotra and his lawyer Pankaj Bhardwaj
Meanwhile, the Home Ministry has also asked Ruchika’s family to submit all the papers related to the case to the Ministry.
Rathore’s plea for early hearing rejected
The district and sessions court today rejected a plea of Abha Rathore, wife and counsel of disgraced former Haryana top cop SPS Rathore convicted in the Ruchika Girhotra molestation case, for early hearing of his anticipatory bail application.
She wanted the hearing to take place on Thursday itself instead of Friday.
Sessions judge SP Singh rejected the plea of Abha Rathore, who reached the court here on Thursday afternoon with all documents sought by the court during the hearing on Wednesday.
Fearing arrest of Rathore, against whom the Panchkula police have already registered two fresh cases, including that of attempt to murder Ruchika’s brother, his counsel sought the advancement of the bail hearing but the judge refused that.
The court on Wednesday refused to give interim bail to Rathore though his anticipatory bail plea will be heard on Friday.
Principal to be grilled today
Meanwhile, the Chandigarh police are scheduled to grill the principal of Sacred Heart School, Sister Sebastina, on Thursday.
The development is the fallout of the Chandigarh administration’s magisterial probe into the reasons behind the Sacred Heart School in Chandigarh for expelling the teenager in September 1990, just a month after she was molested by Rathore on August 12, 1990.
Rathore’s arrest imminent?
Commenting on the Haryana former DGP SPS Rathore’s arrest Shatrujeet Kapoor IG, SIT said that Rathore’s arrest will depend upon the probe’s outcome. “At present we will just examine the witnesses and then only come to conclusion,” he said.
The IG also said the most of the records are with CBI, so the police team will coordinate with the investigative agency to push the investigation further.
The Panchkula police can arrest Rathore any time since he has been booked under several non-bailable sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has already been set up by the Haryana police to probe into the fresh cases against Rathore.
Ruchika, a budding tennis player, had committed suicide on December 1993, three years after her molestation by Rathore on August 12, 1990.
–Agencies