Birbal Das Dhalia, who as Home Secretary of Haryana during the rule of the Chautala government in 1999 recommended the name of S P S Rathore for a President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service, has defended the decision, saying “there was no chargesheet” against Rathore though he had been accused of molesting 14-year-old Ruchika Girhotra in 1990, reports The Indian Express.
Dhalia, who even served as Principal Secretary to the CM, is back with Om Prakash Chautala — as a senior member of the INLD and its Parliamentary Affairs Committee.
The Centre is actively exploring whether it can strip Rathore of his 1985 Police Medal for Meritorious Services.
Records show that the Haryana proposal for the Distinguished Service medal in 1999 gave Rathore a clean chit on integrity and concealed the fact that he had a case of molestation against him.
It was only when the Intelligence Bureau told the Home Ministry that Rathore was an accused that the recommendation was rejected.
S C Girhotra, Ruchika's father, had accused Chautala of shielding Rathore who, 19 years after the incident, was sentenced to imprisonment for six months. Ruchika had committed suicide in 1993.
