NEW DELHI: Even as the
Panchkula sessions court adjourned former Haryana DGP SPS Rathore's bail hearing
in the Ruchika Girhotra molestation case till Friday, a cornered Rathore on
Thursday hit back with a vicious smear campaign against Ruchika's family. Abha
Rathore, wife and lawyer of the 'molester' DGP on Thursday alleged that the
Girhotras are corrupt and the media has been used to harass the petitioner. (
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The Rathore's claimed that Ruchika's father S C Girhotra is embroiled in
corruption charges. Their second charge is that Anand Prakash, father of
Aradhana who is the only witness to the molestation, retired prematurely as he
was charged with corruption. The Rathores also added that Veena Girhotra ,who
was living with Ruchika's father was not investigated by the CBI and that the
media is being used as a tool to harass SPS Rathore.
In Friday’s hearing at the Panchkula sessions court, Rathore will seek extension
of his bail in cases related to the first two FIRs filed against him. Rathore's
hearing for anticipatory bail has come up in cases of criminal conspiracy and
hiding of evidence in the Ruchika case.
Abha Rathore, wife and lawyer of former Haryana DGP SPS Rathore, earlier said
that the fresh FIRs filed are not legal and have been done so only because of
media pressure. Standing up for her husband at the Panchkula court, Abha
insisted that there is no evidence which proves that Ashu Girhotra was tortured.
Earlier, a complaint was filed on December 31 by Ruchika's brother Ashu, who
alleged that Rathore forced his sister to commit suicide besides torturing him
in police custody. Ashu, brother of Ruchika who committed suicide in 1993, three
years after she was molested by Rathore, alleged in the complaint filed with
Panchkula police that he was tortured, harassed and booked in false cases.
Meanwhile, the Punjab and Haryana HC issued notices to the Haryana government,
DGP of the state and Rathore. This comes after a PIL was filed to probe the use
of influence to delay the case.
Rathore was sentenced by a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court to six
months in jail for molesting teenager Ruchika 19 years ago on August 12, 1990. A
fine of Rs 1,000 was also imposed on Rathore, who, however, was immediately
granted bail by the court.
Ruchika, a 14-year-old budding tennis player, had committed suicide in December
1993, three years after the incident, following alleged harassment of her and
her family at Rathore's behest.