New Delhi, Dec 24 (IANS) People from different walks of life Thursday demanded the reopening of Ruchika Girhotra molestation case and lit candles at the historic Jantar Mantar to register their protest against the light sentence handed to the perpetrator, former Haryana police chief S.P.S. Rathore.
“It is amply clear that Ruchika was facing threats from the Haryana Police on one side and severe stress and mental trauma due to the molestation,” said Kanan Jaswal, an activist of NGO Good Governance.

“We demand an inquiry into the case and circumstances which led to Ruchika committing suicide. There should be an inquiry into the role of other police officers who abetted her suicide. These officials needed to be booked along with Rathore for abetment of suicide,” he added.

A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Chandigarh had Monday held Rathore guilty of molesting 14-year-old Ruchika in Panchkula town Aug 12, 1990 and sentenced him to a six-month prison term. The budding tennis player had committed suicide three years after the incident.

Ravi Kant, an advocate and president of NGO Shakti Vahini, said Haryana Police officers, on Rathore’s orders, used legal and illegal means to intimidate Ruchika and her family.

“The Haryana Police had booked Ruchika’s brother in 11 cases. All the files relating to these cases need to be seized and examined to find out the people responsible for the criminal intimidation of Ruchika’s family,” he contended.

Kamal Kant Jaswal, a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, called for a probe into how Rathore was promoted as director general of police inspite of facing such a severe charge of child abuse and abetment to suicide.

“After the allegations surfaced, Rathore was first promoted as special director general of police and then director general of police. The files relating to his promotion need to be examined,” Jaswal maintained.

The various groups with the same demands have also shot off letters to Law Minister M. Veerappa Molly while some people Thursday lit candles at the Jantar Mantar in the heart of the national capital.