Haryana, January 14: A sessions court has granted till 8th February bail to disgraced Haryana DGP S P S Rathore in his case challenging a CBI special court’s verdict sentencing him to six months imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1,000 for molesting Ruchika Girhotra in 1990.
The CBI court had on 21st December granted bail to the 67-year-old Rathore to allow him to file his appeal against its judgement.
Additional District and Sessions Judge R S Attri granted the former IPS officer bail till 8th February when his appeal against the trial court order will come up for hearing.
In his order, Attri directed Rathore not to leave the country and submit his passport to the court. The District and Sessions Court had on Tuesday admitted his appeal and directed listing of the case before Attri.
The judge also issued notice to CBI to file its reply on the appeal by the next date of hearing. Rathore and his lawyer-wife Abha were present in the court.
The former DGP was convicted last month by Special CBI Magistrate J S Sidhu who found him guilty under section 354 of the IPC with having molested 14-year-old Ruchika on 12th August 1990.
The CBI counsel informed the court that the investigating agency has decided to seek enhancement of the sentence handed down to Rathore.
The judge then gave time till the next date of hearing to the CBI counsel to file the agency’s petition on enhancement of the sentence.
The counsel for Madhu Parkash, the complainant and mother of Aradhana, the sole witness to the molestation of Ruchika, also submitted before the court that they would be filing a petition also for increasing the sentence.
NCW chief meets PC; demands stringent punishment for rapists
Against the backdrop of Ruchika Girhotra molestation case, National Commission for Women chairperson Girija Vyas on Wednesday met Union Home Minister P Chidambaram to press for the need of changing laws on sexual assaults.
During the meeting at Home Minister’s North Block Office in New Delhi, Vyas demanded strict punishment for crimes like rape and molestation, especially when it is committed by government employees like police officers.
“There is an urgent need to change the laws on sexual assaults. The definition as mentioned in the Act be enlarged and punishment should be stringent,” she told reporters after the meeting.
As per law, a maximum imprisonment of two years can be given to molesters. Vyas said a minimum of life or seven years in prison should be given to such culprits.
Vyas requested the Home Minister that if any such crime against women is committed by government servants and by police officers, the punishment should be “more”.
She also expressed concern about non-filing of FIRs in many of rape cases.
Chidambaram assured the NCW chief that a State-Centre inter-ministerial coordination committee headed by Union Home Secretary is already looking into the laws related to sexual violence.
—Agencies