New Delhi, Dec 22 (IANS) Fast track justice was needed in sexual harassment cases involving minors, CPI-M MP Brinda Karat said in the Rajya Sabha Tuesday while referring to the 1990 molestation of a 14-year-old girl for which a former Haryana director general of police (DGP) was sentenced to six months in prison.
Expressing outrage at former Haryana DGP S.P.S. Rathore Monday getting six months jail term for molesting the teen, who committed suicide three years later, Karat said: “A criminal who committed that crime in police uniform and escape justice for 19 years was rewarded with promotion after promotion. And, 19 years later this criminal has finally been found guilty. What is the punishment - just six months.”

“And the day he was convicted, he was out on bail within 10 minutes. Isn’t it a shame for all of us… how long can we tolerate this kind of action. It reveals deep infirmities in our system of delivery of justice,” the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) parliamentarian said.

Rathore was Monday sentenced to six months in prison for molesting 14-year-old budding tennis player Ruchika Girhotra, who committed suicide in 1993 following continuous harassment of her and her family.

“It is not anybody else but a very sensitive family Anand and Madhu Prakash and their brave daughter Aradhana who were friends of the victims who stood for 19 years as witness in this case, refused to be cowed down and because of that the culprit has been punished,” she said.

“My point is how are we going to tolerate these kind of cases in which our young girls have absolutely no security and when justice is denied in the way it has been in this case.”

Appealing for a fast track justice system, Karat said: “A appeal to the law minister, the home minister (who) is also here… what can we do to reform our laws and to ensure fast track justices. We are talking about commercial courts for big firms for to give them speedy justice but our young children get no justice. We need fast track justice for young minors who are victims of sexual harassment.”

Rathore was allowed bail by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court special judge J.S. Sidhu immediately after his sentencing.

The former DGP can now appeal before a higher court against the CBI court order. Sources close to Rathore said he would appeal against his sentencing.