Ruchika Case: Ex-Haryana DGP Rathore to be in jail for 18 months(Re-issue)

CHANDIGARH - A Chandigarh Sessions Court on Tuesday enhanced the jail term for former Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) S P S Rathore to 18 months in the much debated Ruchika Girhotra molestation case.

Pronouncing the verdict on a petition filed by Rathore that challenged a CBI court’s decision to sentence him to six months imprisonment, Additional District and Sessions Judge Gurbir Singh extended the term by 18 months.

Immediately after the verdict Rathore was arrested and sent to Chandigarh’s Burail Jail.

Ruchika’s family and the CBI had filed petitions seeking enhancement of sentence to a maximum two years.

On May 20, the court had fixed May 25 as the date for delivering its verdict on all three pleas.

Earlier, Judge Singh had deferred pronouncing his verdict on the plea that he needed more time to complete the process of writing his judgment.

On December 21, 2009, Rathore was convicted for molesting Ruchika, a budding 14- year-old tennis player in 1990.

He was sentenced to serve six months’ rigorous imprisonment by the court.

Thereafter, Rathore had appealed against the sentence, the hearing of which started in February.

The hearings were adjourned following an attack on Rathore on February 8 by a Banaras-based youth.

Day-to-day proceedings of the case, which were held in-camera, resumed on May 3 and concluded on May 11.

Ruchika was allegedly molested by Rathore on August 12, 1990 at the Haryana Lawn Tennis Association office in Panchkula.

Unable to bear the harassment, Ruchika committed suicide three years later. (ANI)