Ruchika case should be revisited: Hooda

State Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said here that the case against Rathore, who has been sentenced to six-month imprisonment for molesting Ruchika, a budding tennis player, "should be revisited". The light sentence given to 67-year-old former top cop has led to a public uproar.

"After examining (the case) legally, I think it should be revisited. It needs revisitation on the whole issue. I am fully sympathising with the family (of Ruchika)," Hooda told reporters here.
Meanwhile, the central government has also initiated steps to withdraw the police medal awarded to Rathore in 1985 and reduce his pension.

"The matter will be placed before an award committee on January 4, when the committee will meet. Thereafter the recommendation will go to the president," Union Home Secretary G K Pillai told reporters here.

"As far as other issues are concerned, reduction of pension and conduct of unbecoming of a police officer, show cause notice has been initiated," he said.

The Union Home Ministry today also slapped a show cause notice on Rathore asking why his police medal should not be taken away and pension reduced for allegedly abusing power, sources in the ministry said.
Rathore, a 1965-batch IPS officer who retired in 2002, was awarded the Police Medal for Meritorious service on August 15, 1985. However, he was never considered for President's Police Medal following an internal report of Intelligence Bureau.
Ruchika was molested in 1990 by Rathore, the then Inspector General of Police. She committed suicide three years later by consuming poison.
She was expelled from school and false cases were slapped against her brother, her family said.

While talking about revisiting of the case, Hooda pointed out that Union Law Minister Veerappa Moily has given an assurance regarding examining the case again.
To a question, Hooda said he had given instructions to the police to provide "full security" to Ruchika's family.
"Whatever steps Haryana government has to take after legal constulations, we will take," he said.

Hooda's remarks came after CPI(M) politburo member Brinda Karat met him to demand an independent probe into the alleged political patronage Rathore enjoyed after being indicted in the case.
Karat said she had also urged Hooda to initiate action to deny Rathore pensionary benefits and dismiss police officers and government officials, who filed false theft cases against Ruchika's brother Ashu.
She said Hooda assured her and Ruchika's friends that he would support reopening of the case against Rathore and inclusion of criminal sections such as abetment of the teenager's suicide after examining the case.
Karat was accompanied by Anand Prakash, a friend of Ruchika's family and a retired Haryana government employee, besides few human rights activists during her meeting with Hooda