Ruchika's family to file fresh charges

Ex-CBI Director claims Rathore bribed to get charges dropped

“We will file a fresh case for inclusion of Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code (abetment to suicide)...the CBI earlier did not press for the inclusion of this section which could have resulted in a tougher sentence to the accused. I do not know why it made this compromise,” Ruchika’s father S C Girhotra told reporters here.

Earlier this week, Rathore was convicted by a CBI court here in the molestation case and awarded a six-month jail sentence.

“We would seek trial of Rathore for the offense under 306 IPC,” Girhotra said. The retired IPS officer was not tried at all under the section since the suicide of Ruchika on December 29, 1993. The 14-year-old budding tennis player committed suicide by consuming poison three years after she was molested by Rathore.

Rathore’s lawyer meanwhile claimed that the “hype” created in Ruchika’s case cannot sustain in the light of the facts.

Ajay Jain, who had been Rathore’s counsel during the trial of Ruchika molestation case in Ambala court, that the matter with regard to addition of abetment to suicide charge “had already achieved the finality as the Supreme Court had earlier affirmed the verdict of the Punjab and Haryana High court of setting aside the judgment of the trial court adding section 306 IPC in the trial.”

Meanwhile, former CBI Joint Director R M Singh, who was the then in charge of the probe, alleged that Rathore managed to get the charge of abetment of suicide dropped from the charge sheet besides making attempts to bribe officers handling the probe.

Singh claimed in his report that he had recommended molestation charges, including the charge of abetment of suicide and alleged the officer did make attempts to bribe him to influence his recommendations.

“What had happened later I don’t know because the file had gone to higher officers and Rathore came to know about my recommendations,” he said. 

Explaining the reasons for the dilution of the case, he said final decision rests on the Director who acts after seeking legal advice on any case.