Former Haryana Director General of Police S P S Rathore was on Monday in Chandigarh held guilty of molesting a teenaged girl 19 years back by a court here which sentenced him to six months rigorous imprisonment.
CBI' special magistrate J S Sidhu also imposed a fine of Rs 1000 on the accused who will have to further undergo one month of RI in case of default.
14-year-old Ruchika, a tennis player, was molested by Rathore, the then Inspector General of Police in Haryana and President of Haryana Lawn Tennis Association, on August 12, 1990. She committed suicide in 1993.
At the time of pronouncement of verdict, Rathore and his advocate wife Abha Rathore were present in the court room.
Madhu Parkash, mother of Ruchika's friend, had approached the Punjab and Haryana High court in 1997, seeking a probe into the incident after a police report had stated that prima facie there was a case against Rathore.
Later, the investigation into the case was handed over to the CBI in 1998 and the trial was held in a Patiala court.
The case was transferred to the CBI special magistrate here by the Punjab and Haryana high court which had issued directions for holding day-to-day hearing and completion of trial within a month.
"I am elated that Rathore has been awarded six months of RI, but at the same time I am saddened that it took so long for the court to decide on the matter. Had the verdict against Rathore been pronounced earlier, I think Ruchika would not have committed suicide," Madhu told reporters outside the court.
Madhu's husband Anand Parkash, a retired Haryana government employee, said, "I think the quantum of punishment is less."
"Rathore was instrumental in getting the case delayed for such a long period," he said, adding that "I will continue the fight against those police officials and bureaucrats who helped Rathore during the trial to get the case covered up."
"These people are criminals and I think an example should be set up so that nobody can ever dare to think of outraging the modesty of woman," he added.
Emerging from the court Rathore said, "I have great faith in the judicial system. So I will file an appeal by January 20. I will finally be a winner because truth will prevail."
Anand Parkash said several "frivolous" cases were slapped on him. There were also threats of life to him, his colleagues and Ruchika.
"Rathore not only spoke against judges during the trial period, but was also instrumental in getting some judges shifted and influencing the witnesses," he alleged.
During the pendency of the case, Rathore was promoted to the rank of DGP in 1994. CBI filed chargesheet in the case in November 2000 and Rathore retired from service in 2002.
The special CBI court had closed all final arguments in the case on December 11, 2009. PTI
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