Anand Prakash, who is fighting on behalf of the Girhotras in the Ruchika molestation case, said on Thursday that Haryana’s special investigation team (SIT) would serve no purpose.
Prakash, whose wife, Madhu, is the complainant in the case, told reporters: “I think it (the constitution of the SIT) is meaningless. It will only delay the matter.”
The SIT, probing the two fresh cases against S.P.S. Rathore, will seek assistance from the CBI. A former Haryana DGP, Rathore had molested 14-year-old Ruchika in 1990 and was served a six-month sentence by a CBI court on December 22. Ruchika committed suicide in 1993.
Ruchika’s father S.C. Girhotra and brother Ashu Girhotra filed two FIRs against Rathore, saying they were threatened with murder, if they did not withdraw the cases against him.
The CBI had investigated the alleged false charges of car-jacking slapped on Ashu. It had recorded the statements of junior police officials of Ambala district who had registered the cases. The agency, however, did not question the then Ambala SP, K.P. Singh.
Officials said the police had to collect evidence on the murder charges before arresting Rathore. “Unless the police have in their possession material evidence to substantiate the attempt to murder charge against him, arresting him will serve no purpose...” a top official said. The SIT will cross-match all the evidence and statements of witnesses.