SPS Rathore's troubles multiplied on Thursday with Ruchika's family filing a case of abetment to suicide against him and CBI also mulling a similar charge while the molestation victim's brother demanded that the ex-Haryana DGP be put behind the bars.
Breaking his silence and coming out in the open, Ashu Girhotra, brother of Ruchika, filed a complaint before Haryana police seeking filing of case against 67-year-old Rathore under the stringent Sec 306 (abetment to suicide charge) for which the maximum imprisonment is 10 years.
On a day of fast moving developments, Ashu alleged he was subjected to third degree police torture personally supervised by Rathore and the family harassed by him that drove his 14-year-old sister to commit suicide.
Ashu filed the complaint--the third by the family this week-- before the Superintendent of Police(Panchkula) Manish Choudhry and the police said they are seeking legal opinion.
As the noose tightened over the disgraced former top cop amid mounting pressure, the CBI has decided to appeal to seek enhanced punishment in the molestation case. Rathore escaped with a lighter six-month jail term unleashing a national outrage.
The CBI said it was also examining the possibility of charging Rathore with abetment to suicide.
Home Minister P Chidambaram whom the family met yesterday said he was unhappy over the way charges were framed, the trial was conducted and the way Rathore was punished in the case. He promised to look into what the government can do in the matter once the family files the fresh case of abetment to suicide.
Ruchika family's lawyer Pankaj Bhardwaj said the police has the power to arrest Rathore. Section 306 offence is cognisable and non-bailable, he said.
Ashu alleged that his 14-year-old sister was driven to suicide after he suffered "third degree torture" in police custody. "Rathore used to personally supervise it," he said, adding false cases were also foisted on him.
Chidambaram said the Centre will look into the case of molestation of Ruchika who committed suicide three years after the shocking incident in 1990.
"As Home Minister, I cannot pronounce any judgement. I am very unhappy with the way the charges were framed and the way the trial was conducted and the way the accused has been punished. I am unhappy," he told reporters.
The decision to file a fresh complaint was taken in the wake of the family's meeting with Chidambaram yesterday, Bhardwaj said.
The abetment to suicide complaint was filed on the eve of the hearing of Rathore's anticipatory bail plea before a Sessions court.
In New Delhi, CBI spokesman Harsh Bahal said, "It is felt that six months imprisonment and fine of Rs 1,000 is far inadequate especially when the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Chandigarh, in his judgement concluded that the offence has been proved to the hilt."
As far as the applicability of Section 306 of IPC in the Ruchika case is concerned, the legal experts of the CBI are examining the issue to suggest further course of action. "The advice of the Solicitor General of India will also be taken before finalising the view of CBI on this issue," the spokesman said.
Abha, wife and counsel of Rathore submitted the copies of the two fresh FIRs lodged against the former top cop early this week in a local court on Thursday . PTI
