Former Haryana home secretary J K Duggal has said, politicians did not allow registration of case against former DGP S P S Rathore in 1990 despite his recommendation for an FIR on the basis of the inquiry report filed by the then DGP R R Singh.
Duggal said Ruchika's statements against the top cop were based on facts and that her suicide could have been averted had action been taken on time.
Duggal, 72, said had the politicians during that time acted against the accused, the family would not have faced so much harassment for nine years just to get the FIR registered.
After inquiring into molestation charges against the then Inspector General of police SPS Rathore, the inquiry officer and DGP RR Singh had recommended registration of an FIR.
"We had sent the file to home minister Sampat Singh. As per procedure, the home minister had to take the approval from chief minister Hukum Singh for further action.
We could not take action against the accused in the absence of approval from political bosses. I kept waiting for three months, but nothing happened," said Duggal, adding he was later transferred from the post of home secretary.
Experts feel that it was the most crucial period in the case. "Rathore felt emboldened that the government did not take strong action against him," Duggal said. "It was political interference because at the bureaucratic level we had recommended severe punishment. Both R R Singh and I had recommended it.
The punishment ordered by the court to Rathore should have been much more. The entire family has been harassed. He deserves severe punishment," Duggal said. Even the court was surprised why no action was taken against Rathore despite DGP RR Singh's recommendation.
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