BY--REETI PANDEY PAROMITA BHATTACHARJEE

RUCHIKA GIRHOTRA, a 14 year old student of Sacred Public School for Girls was molested by the Inspector General of Police Shambhu Pratap Singh Rathore.

She was a promising tennis player in Haryana lawn tennis association. Father, S. C. Girhotra, manager with UCO Bank. Mother died when she was 10. Only sibling, brother Ashu, a then 10 year old.

Born in 1941 and a 1966-Batch Indian Police Service officer of the Haryana Cadre, Rathore was the founding president of the Haryana Lawn Tennis Association. Rathore's wife, Abha is an advocate, practices in Panchkula and Chandigarh. Rathore's daughter, Priyanjali, was Ruchika's classmate. She is now a practicing lawyer.

His son, Rahul, used to practice law at the Punjab and Haryana High Courts.

 August

12, 1990 Rathore calls Ruchika in his office and molests her. Aradhna accidentally witnesses the incident. The girls manage to escape from the spot. Following the incident, the parents of the players decided to take legal action against him.

The parents asked DGP Ram Rakshpal Singh to investigate.

A report was submitted by him to the then home secretary, J. K. Duggal, on September 3rd, 1990 Duggal forwarded to Home Minister Sampat Singh, who failed to forward to CM, Hukam Singh. Duggals successor never followed on the report. Year 1992 - FIR was still to be lodged.

September 20, 1990, 2 weeks after enquiry, Ruchika was expelled from the Sacred Heart School for Girls, with the official reason of non-payment of fees. No notice was given to Ruchika for non-payment of fees, as is the school's normal procedure. Ironically among the 17 cases of late fees, the defaulters included Rathores daughter, Priyanjali.

Ruchika was the only one expelled on these grounds.

She was abused publically by Rathores henchmen dressed in plain clothes, including ex-MLA, Jagjeet Singh Tikka.

Aradhana had ten civil cases filed against her by Rathore. She received abusive and threatening calls for months. Anand Parkash , CE in the Haryana State Agriculture Marketing Board had a spotless record until Rathore instigated more than 20 complaints against him. He was suspended from his job for some time and demoted to SE and later given premature retirement. Two cases were filed against each of the journalists who had reported on the matter - one criminal and another civil demanding compensation of Rs. 1 crore each. Pankaj Bhardwaj, Ruchikas lawyer, was slapped with two court cases by Rathore -a defamation case and a case for compensation.

On September 23, 1993, 13 year old brother, Ashu, was picked up in the market place by police in plain clothes. They drove him in a jeep to the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) Staff Office in Mansa Devi. He was tortured by Sub-Inspector Prem Dutt and Assistant SubInspectors Sewa Singh and Jai Narayan. His hands were tied on his back and he was made to bend. His feet were tied with a weight. He was kept in this position for an extended period of time.

A roller, referred to by the police as "Mussal', was rolled on his legs and thighs after four constables boarded the roller.
Ashu was taken to his house and beaten mercilessly in front of Ruchika by Rathore, with the threat to take back the complains.

Ashu was paraded in handcuffs in his neighbourhood. Ashu was picked up again on November 11, 1993,during which he was not given food and water.
He was allegedly forced to sign on blank papers, which were used by the police to show his "confessions" that he stole 11 cars. No charges were ever framed in any of these cases filed against Ashu. The Girhotra's bungalow was forcibly sold to a lawyer working for Rathore.

Ruchika's father was suspended from his job as bank manager, on charges of alleged corruption. They moved to the outskirts of Simla, and took up farming to make a living.
Ashu was not released until after his sister's suicide.

SUICIDE FOR ONE, PARTY FOR ANOTHER

Body was refused to her father unless he signed blank papers which established that Ruchikas autopsy was forged.

Brother, Ashu, was released unconscious after Ruchikas last rites were over.

Case was closed in less than a week after her death.

November 1994, under CM Bhajan Lal, Rathore was promoted to additional DGP. Oct 1999, the INLD government led by Om Prakash Chautala made Rathore the police chief (DGP) of the state. His name was even recommended for a Presidents Police Medal For Distinguished Service by the same government in November 94. Shanta Kumar, who was then vice-president of the BJP, in 2000, wrote a letter to Om Prakash Chautala, urging him to take strict action against Rathore in the case. However, instead of acting on the letter, Chautala complained to then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

On August 21, 1998, the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the CBI to conduct an inquiry. On November 16, 2000, after more than a year, the CBI filed a charge sheet against Rathore, still a police chief. The charge sheet was filed only under Section 354 (molestation) without abetment to suicide October 23, 2001, Special CBI Judge Jagdev Singh Dhanjal demanded the offence be added and was forced to take premature retirement two years later. February 2002, Justice K. C. Kathuria dismissed the CBI court's decision to register an FIR against Rathore for abetment to suicide, due to a personal grudge against the Girhotras on property dispute.

Incredibly, after filing the charge sheet in 2000, the CBI took 7 years to record evidence from 16 prosecution witnesses. The defence counsel took nine months to complete examination of 13 out of the total 17 witnesses. Rathore enjoyed access to all levels of the CBI since he was DGP. December 21, special judge J.S. Sidhu pronounced a sixmonth jail sentence and a fine of Rs 1000 to Rathore. The sentence has been suspended until January 20, 2010. He was granted bail minutes after the sentencing, after furnishing a bail bond of Rs.10,000.

Jessica was an adult. She was doing her job on the black day. The killer was a drunken arrogant young man. Jessicas killer ran away trying to hide himself. Jessicas death was instant. Jessica now rests peacefully with justice done

Ruchika was a child. Ruchika was a mere student of class 10. The killer a middle aged IGP blind with lust and power. He followed the child for nearly four years till she committed suicide. Ruchika was slowly lead to Death. After 20 years Ruchika still cries for justice

Jessica Lal

Ruchika Girhotra

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