Ruchika case: Verdict on Rathore's plea deferred to May 25

Additional District and Sessions Judge Gurbir Singh put off the verdict till May 25 saying since the judgment is lengthy it is being postponed by five days to provide time to complete the process of writing the judgement.

The Judge had on May 11 last fixed today for verdict on the three pleas-- one by the former DGP challenging his six month rigorous imprisonment for "outraging the modesty" of 14-year-old tennis player Ruchika and two appeals by Ruchika's family and the CBI seeking enhancement of the sentence awarded to him by the trial court.

Rathore and his lawyer wife Abha arrived in the court half-an-hour before the scheduled time 2 pm and sat quietly.

Ruchika's father S C Girhotra and Anand Prakash and Madhu Prakash, parents of the sole eyewitness Aradhna, also came to the court before time.