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Father recounts family’s 19-year ordeal
The anguish was evident. Speaking to journalists on his daughter’s 16th death anniversary, Ruchika’s father Subhash Chander Girhotra, 68, recounted the family’s ordeal.
The anguish was evident. Speaking to journalists on his daughter’s 16th death anniversary, Ruchika’s father Subhash Chander Girhotra, 68, recounted the family’s ordeal.
“The moment we learnt about the (molestation) incident, I rushed to (DGP) Rathore’s house with my friends but he escaped from the rear door,” recalled Girhotra, who was a manager with UCO Bank then.
Last week, a CBI court sentenced Rathore (67) to six
months in jail for molesting
14-year-old schoolgirl Ruchika in 1990. Three years later, the teenager committed suicide after police allegedly started harassing her family members at Rathore’s behest.
“We ran from pillar to post meeting senior officials and (then) chief minister Hukam Singh,” Girhotra told HT, in a voice choked with emotion.
“But misusing his official position, Rathore got 11 cases of car thefts slapped against my son to pressure us to withdraw the case.”
Girhotra said he was aghast to hear that the family’s housekeeper was being dubbed as his second wife. “My friends and neighbours know that I never remarried.”
Girhotra’s wife Shashi died in 1988 after a prolonged illness. Girohtra said the police, in the inquest report, wrongly named a woman called Veena as his wife.
