Chandigarh : The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday resumed day-to-day hearing on SPS Rathore's revision petition challenging his conviction in Ruchika molestation case with his lawyer wife Abha arguing that the sole witness Aradhana was hardly close to the victim.
Stressing that the incident of molestation, as described by the sole witness, was "not possible", Abha sought to build up a case that Aradhana hardly knew Ruchika despite the former's claims that the two were close friends, who used to play tennis together.
In support of her argument, Abha told the Judge that Aradhana was not even aware of Ruchika's pet name, which was Ruby. She also said that Ruchika had not shared with Aradhana the fact that the former's father S C Girhotra had re-married.
She said Aradhna was also not aware that Ruchika's brother Ashu too played tennis at the Haryana Lawn Tennis Association grounds at Panchkula, where the two girls used to play together in 1990.
Pointing out "contradictions" in the statements of Aradhana during her examination in the case, she submitted that the witness was interested in getting Rathore convicted as this family had feelings of "vengeance and vendetta" against him.
Asked by Justice Jitendra Chauhan how long she would take to conclude her arguments, the former Haryana DGP's wife and counsel said by Wednesday or Thursday she should be able to wind up.
The High Court which is conducting hearing in the case on day-to-day basis, heard Abha's arguments for about an hour before adjourning the case till tomorrow.
Abha had on May 26 filed a revision petition in the High Court for suspension of sentence and grant of bail to Rathore, a day after the session's court awarded him 18-month jail term for molesting budding tennis player Ruchika Girhotra.
68-year-old Rathore has been lodged in the high security Burail jail since May 25.
Ruchika had committed suicide three years after being molested by Rathore on August 12, 1990. PTI
