New Delhi:
As outrage grows against the senior policeman who molested a teenager, the country's worst suspicions seem confirmed. The offender was protected from facing any sort of action because he had powerful connections.
The senior-most cop in Haryana wanted a police case to be registered against one of his own men who he believed had molested a 14-year-old. His request was denied.
It was 1990. The teenager was Ruchika Girhotra, and her molester was SPS Rathore, an Inspector General in the Haryana Police. Rathore's boss was RR Singh, the Director General of the Police.
Ruchika was a tennis player; Rathore, the President of the Haryana Lawn Tennis Federation. It was Singh who received Ruchika's complaint against Rathore. Singh believed Ruchika. In his report, Singh wrote, "I am of the considered view that whatever Miss Ruchika...has stated about her molestation by Shri SPS RAthore, is based on true facts. I would therefore recommend that a case under appropriate sections of Indian Penal Code be got registered."
However, because Rathore was also a senior officer, a case against him could only be filed after the government sanctioned it. Singh's request was denied, allegedly because of Rathore's powerful political links.
Three years later, Ruchika killed herself, tired of what seemed like endless retaliation orchestrated by a vengeful Rathore. She was expelled from school, her brother was framed in theft cases.
Even after she died, Rathore faced no action. In fact, his career flourished, and he was promoted to Director General of Police.
It was only in 2000 that a CBI inquiry began, a result of a tireless campaign by Ruchika's childhood friend, Aradhana Parkash and her family. On Monday, a court sentenced Rathore to six months in prison, but he was granted bail immediately. He plans to appeal the verdict.