S.P.S. Rathore, Haryana’s former DGP who was sentenced to six months in jail for molesting 14-year-old Ruchika Girhotra, had stage-managed protests to influence an initial inquiry against him, the state’s former police chief, Ram Rakshpal Singh, said on Wednesday.
The inquiry had found that the accusation of molestation against Rathore was true.
Rathore was an inspector general of police when he molested Ruchika in 1990 and Singh was the state’s DGP and had conducted the probe against his junior.
Singh said his report about the molestation, submitted to the state, was never accepted, for unspecified reasons.
He alleged that Rathore had roped in a group of people from Rajiv Colony, near Panchkula, and leaders from Rajput community to hold demonstrations in front of Singh’s house.
“I had specifically mentioned these attempts to influence me in my report,” said Singh. “Rathore never cooperated in the inquiry, and the facts were listed in the report.”
Singh said he was given a six-day deadline by the state’s home ministry to look into the complaint against Rathore. “I submitted the report to the home secretary within four days.”
He said it was unfortunate that a senior IPS officer held guilty in the official inquiry conducted by the DGP “colluded to secure the highest position in the Haryana Police”.
{{/usCountry}}He said it was unfortunate that a senior IPS officer held guilty in the official inquiry conducted by the DGP “colluded to secure the highest position in the Haryana Police”.
{{/usCountry}}Based on Singh’s report the Punjab and Haryana High Court, however, concluded that a criminal case needed to be registered and directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe the case in 1998.
The SC on December 14, 1999 upheld the high court order and directed the CBI to complete the investigation. Singh, who retired in 1992, however, claimed Ruchika’s family had not complained of pressure, “but it was obvious why she (Ruchika) took the extreme step (suicide) at such a tender age”.