Panchkula:
For 16 years, they've waited for this moment, say Ruchika Girhotra's family and friends. The police officer who molested 14-year-old Ruchika in 1990 can finally be arrested.
That's because he has now officially been accused of driving her to suicide. In 1993, three years after she complained against him, Ruchika killed herself by drinking poison. She had been expelled from her school, a decision allegedly influenced by SPS Rathore, who was then one of Haryana's most senior policemen. Her brother, Ashu, had been framed and imprisoned for theft. For a young girl from Haryana who was happiest playing tennis, there seemed to be no end to the persecution inflicted upon her family by a vengeful opponent (
Watch:Truth finally coming out: Ruchika's lawyer)
Rathore, backed by politicians and protected by his own force, ensured that the charges against him were relatively minor. Ruchika's family wanted to see him accused of abetting her suicide, but repeated attempts failed.
And then Rathore left court smiling a month ago after he was sentenced to six months in prison. A shocked country came together, led by legal experts, to attack the punishment as hopelessly inadequate. In the last few weeks, as public outrage swelled, the government declared it would support new, tougher charges against Rathore. Ruchika's father met Home Minister P Chidambaram; Law Minister Veerappa Moily said he would work with the CBI to prepare the grounds for a new case.
The new First Information Report (FIR) lodged on Tuesday against Rathore charges him with a non-bailable offence. But the Haryana government and police want this new case to be investigated by the CBI. In order for that to happen, a formal request has to be processed by the union government. Experts say that could take some time. And then, once the CBI accepts the case, it will have to convince a court that Rathore's arrest is necessary, either because he can tamper with evidence, or because he could go missing during the trial.
Ruchika's father, Subhash Girhotra, is upset that Rathore has not yet been arrested. "If such a charge (abetment to suicide) was filed against a common person, he would have been immediately arrested. I don't think the Haryana Police is serious to arrest him."
Rathore is already on bail in the original case against him - where he stands accused of molesting Ruchika. Another two cases filed just a few days ago accuse him of forging documents related to Ruchika's post-mortem and of abusing his office to throw her brother in jail. A court has granted him interim bail in those two cases, but it will make a final call on Thursday.
So gradually, the odds are piling up against a man who, despite sexually abusing a teenager, went on to become Haryana's police chief. On Monday, the government decided to take away Rathore's medal, granted to him in 1985, before he met Ruchika.