The Ruchika Girhotra Case

Assam News · December 25, 2009

Fourteen-year-old Ruchika Girhotra was molested on August 12, 1990 by Haryana Inspector General of Police (IGP) S.P.S. Rathore in his office room. Now what happened after 19 years? A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special court convicted Rathore in the molestation case and sentenced him to six months’ imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs.1,000 ($20). Can you believe this? Just six months in jail for molestation. More interestingly, Rathore was immediately granted bail by the court. This is India, where poor and weak suffers and rich and powerful dominates.

Ruchika Girhotra

Ruchika Girhotra was a budding tennis player

Why it took so long? And why so little punishment for such a big crime? The whole system including Indian judiciary is responsible for this. Police delayed in filing an FIR even after a recommendation from then Haryana DGP. Then trouble started to revolve around Ruchika and her family. Her brother was framed in many cases and tortured. Ultimately, the girl committed suicide after three years.

SPS Rathore

SPS Rathore

Take a look at the picture of S.P.S. Rathore. It looks like he is proud to be a child molester. Look at his face. We are posting this image, because the world must know who he is.

The Ruchika Girhotra molestation case:

  • August 12, 1990: Haryana IGP S.P.S. Rathore, also the Haryana Lawn Tennis Association president, molests 14-year-old budding tennis player Ruchika Girhotra in his office room.
  • August 16, 1990- Complaint made to chief minister Hukam Singh and home secretary.
  • August 17, 1990- Hukam Singh asks Director General of Police (DGP) R.R. Singh to investigate the matter.
  • August 18, 1990 – Police registers Daily Development Report (DDR) against Rathore wide DDR no. 12.
  • September 3, 1990 – DGP R.R. Singh finds Rathore prima facie guilty, submits report. Recommends FIR in the matter.
  • March 12, 1991 – Home Minister Sampat Singh consents to the departmental action. Forwards it to Chief Minister Hukam Singh.
  • March 13, 1991- Hukam Singh gives his consent to the proposal.
  • March 22, 1991 – Om Parkash Chautala becomes new chief Minister of Haryana. Hukam Singh leaves the chief minister’s post. Chautala remains chief minister for 14 days amid political turbulence and instability.
  • April 6, 1991 – President’s Rule is imposed in the state. Governor Dhanik Lal Mandal takes over.
  • May 28, 1991 – Charge sheet approved against Rathore during governor’s rule.
  • July 23, 1991 – Bhajan Lal-led Congress government takes over. Remains chief minister till May 9, 1996, during which time most of the alleged atrocities on Ruchika’s family took place.
  • April 6, 1992 – FIR against Ashu, Ruchika’s brother, for car theft registered wide FIR No. 39.
  • June 30, 1992 – Matter for registering FIR against Rathore taken up and Haryana legal remembracer R.K. Nehru recommended immediate registration of FIR against Rathore.
  • March 30, 1993- Another FIR is registered against Ashu for car theft, wide FIR No. 473.
  • May 10, 1993 – One more FIR is registered against Ashu for car theft, wide FIR No. 57.
  • June 12, 1993 – Yet another FIR is registered against Ashu for car theft, wide FIR No.96.
  • July 30, 1993 – One more FIR is registered against Ashu for car theft, wide FIR No. 127.
  • September 4, 1993 – Another FIR is registered against Ashu for car theft, wide FIR No. 147. All the cases were registered under section 379 IPC.
  • October 23, 1993 – Ashu is illegally picked by the Haryana police and kept in illegal detention for almost two months. Eleven car theft cases were registered against him.
  • December 28, 1993 – Unable to cope with harassment imposed on her and her family, Ruchika commits suicide by consuming poison.
  • December 29, 1993 – Ashu is released one day after Ruchika’s suicide.
  • April 1994 – The charges framed against Rathore dropped during Bhajan Lal’s tenure, months after Ruchika died.
  • November 4, 1994 – Rathore promoted as Additional DGP by Bhajan Lal government.
  • May 11, 1996 – Bansi Lal becomes Haryana chief minister. Remains chief minister till 23 July, 1999 during which period Rathore was promoted as DGP.
  • June 5, 1998 – Rathore suspended by Bansi Lal government in connection with a matter relating to a parole case regarding a detainee.
  • August 21, 1998 – CBI probe is ordered in Ruchika molestation case by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
  • March 3, 1999 – Rathore is reinstated as Additional DGP by Bansi Lal government.
  • July 23, 1999 – Om Parkash Chautala becomes chief minister.
  • September 30, 1999 – Departmental enquiry exonerates Rathore in molestation case, he is promoted as DGP with effect from May 20, 1999.
  • October 10, 1999 – Rathore made Haryana’s DGP (state police chief) by the Chautala government.
  • November 16, 2000 – CBI files chargesheet against Rathore in Ruchika molestation case.
  • December 5, 2000 – Rathore removed as Haryana DGP. Sent on leave.
  • March, 2002 – Child molester Rathore retires from service.
  • December 21, 2009 – CBI special court convicts Rathore in the Ruchika molestation case. Sentenced to six months imprisonment and fine of Rs.1,000.
  • December 25, 2009 – Indian Law minister Veerappa Moily said that the case needs to be “revisited”.
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  1. Ruckiha molester SPS Rathore stabbed outside court | Assam Information Portal says:
    Feb 08, 2010 at 4:19 am

    [...] Rathore was attacked by a young man outside a court in Chandigarh. SPS Rathore, convicted in the Ruchika Girhotra molestation case, was stabbed on the face 2-3 times with a [...]

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