Ruchika case: Haryana cops book Rathore

In further trouble for disgraced former Haryana DGP SPS Rathore, the state police on Tuesday slapped a fresh charge of abetment to suicide against him in the Ruchika molestation case.

A third FIR against Rathore and some others was filed under section 306 (abetment to suicide) of the Indian Penal Code at the Sector 5 police station in Panchkula, Superintendent of Police Maneesh Chaudhary told PTI.

He said the Panchkula Police has recommended that this case also be handed over to the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is probing the two other new cases against Rathore, who was handed down a lighter punishment of six months jail term for molesting Ruchika Girhotra in 1990.

The SIT will subsequently recommend to the state government to hand over the three cases to the Central Bureau of Investigation as demanded by the family of Madhu Parkash, the complainant and the Girhotra family, the SP said.

Welcoming the registration of the third FIR, Aradhana, Ruchika's friend and the only witness to the molestation, hoped that 'justice will be served in future. I am happy that the inquiry might now be marked to CBI'.

"We had been waiting for this 16 years. We are happy that Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has kept his promise," Aradhana said.

Last week, Hooda had indicated that a FIR on Ruchika's brother Ashu's complaint under Section 306 of the IPC (abetment to suicide) against Rathore may be registered.

"The FIR also indicates that Rathore's influence is diminishing and we are sure of appropriate justice ahead," she said.

Ruchika's father SC Girhotra and the Anand Prakash family has alleged that Rathore had used his clout at every step to fabricate and tamper facts in his favour.

"We want the investigating agencies to be completed in a time-bound manner. We are confident that justice will finally be done," said Anand Prakash, Aradhna's father.

Lawyer for the Girhotra family Pankaj Bharadwaj said the complaint under section 306 IPC was filed a couple of days ago and the Haryana Chief Minister had then said that the police was seeking legal opinion on it.

"I am happy that after considering everything they have got it registered. We had given them all the documents on the basis of which the legal machinery has started working," he said.