Ruchika's father, brother file complaints against Rathore

The father and brother of Ruchika Girhotra, who was molested by Haryana's former director general of police SPS Rathore, on Tuesday demanded the registration of fresh FIRs against him and others, in connection with the post mortem proceedings and booking of her brother in false cases.

Subash Chander Girhotra and Ashu, father and brother of Ruchika, submitted their complaints to Panchkula Superintendent of Police Maneesh Chaudhary.

Their family lawyer Pankaj Bhardwaj accompanied Ruchika's classmate Aradhana's father Anand Parkash to the office of the SP.

Chaudhary said the police would have to take legal opinion as the case is 16-17 years old. "We would be in a position to detail the future course of action only after getting the legal opinion on the two complaints," he said.

"There is a clause in the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) regarding limitation (on entertaining complaints after some period) wherein complaints cannot be taken up after some time," he said.

Rathore, who retired in 2002, was awarded a six-month jail term by a Central Bureau of Investigation court in Chandigrah last week for molesting Ruchika, a budding tennis player in 1990, when he was an inspector general of police. Ruchika consumed poison three years later on December 28, 1993 and died the following day.

The complaint of Girhotra said the inquest proceedings conducted in Chandigarh was without any jurisdiction as the Haryana police had no locus standi to conduct the proceedings in an Union Territory.

The police party from Panchkula in Haryana went to the PGI in Chandigarh and conducted the inquest proceedings and got the post mortem done. The officials who should be booked include Rathore, Girhotra demanded.

Ashu in his complaint said seven FIRs for different offences, including auto theft, were registered against him in a bid to victimise him, after the molestation of his sister.

"FIRs, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including attempt to murder and torture, be registered against all those responsible for my victimisation," the complaint said, seeking action against Rathore, Assistant Sub Inspector Jai Narayan, Sub Inspector Prem Dutt, ASI Sewa Singh and other officials.

Bhardwaj told reporters that they have demanded action against Rathore and other officials for registration of false cases and illegal confinement of Ashu after Ruchika's molestation in 1990.

He said as per the complaint of Ruchika's father, the police forged and fabricated the inquest proceedings and the post mortem report. "Everything was doctored in PGI at the instance of Rathore," Bharadwaj alleged, adding that the police took the minor girl to the PGI in Chandigarh, instead of taking her to a local hospital.

Asked why the FIRs were being filed today, he said, "Today is the 16th death anniversary of Ruchika, so we had kept something for this day. This is a special day."