Rathore challenges molestation conviction in SC

An appeal by former Haryana top cop SPS Rathore, challenging his conviction and 18-month sentence in Ruchika Girhotra molestation case, will be taken up by the Supreme Court on Friday.

A division bench of Justices P Sathasivam and BS Chauhan will take up the petition.

Rathore has also appealed for release either on bail or on parole, pending disposal of his appeal by the apex court.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court had on September 1 refused to release Rathore from jail on parole.

Dismissing Rathore’s petition against his 18-month jail term, the court reportedly said the act was ‘shameful to say the least’.

The court further said its decision to reject Rathore’s parole will ‘enhance people’s faith in the judiciary’.

Rathore (68), who is currently lodged at the Burail jail in Chandigarh, had applied for a parole of about two weeks for agricultural works at his farmhouses.

Earlier, on June 4, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had rejected Rathore’s bail plea.

Rathore had filed a bail petition in the high court on May 26, a day after the Chandigarh district and sessions court enhanced his jail term from six months to 18 months in the Ruchika Girhotra molestation case of 1990.

Rathore’s bail was forfeited and he was sent to jail, ending the first round of fight by the family and friends of Ruchika for the last 20 years.

Budding tennis player Ruchika committed suicide in 1993, allegedly driven to desperation by the former cop who terrorised her family.

Rathore had harassed the family of teenager Ruchika and slapped false cases against her brother and got him arrested and tortured. The family had to move residence driven by the harassment of the former cop.