Lawyer to file PIL in Ruchika’s case Tuesday

CHANDIGARH - Senior lawyer and human rights activist Ranjan Lakhanpal said he will file a public suit Tuesday seeking a fresh case against former Haryana director general of police (DGP) S.P.S. Rathore for the molestation of teenager Ruchika Girhotra 19 years ago.

In his Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Lakhanpal will also seek strict action against the management of the leading girls school, Sacred Heart School in Sector 26 here, for expelling Ruchika on “illogical grounds”.

“I was supposed to file the PIL today (Monday) but I could not do it as it was a holiday in the high court. But I will certainly file it tomorrow (Tuesday) morning,” Lakhanpal told IANS Monday evening.

A special CBI court in Chandigarh had held Rathore guilty, Dec 21, of molesting Ruchika in Panchkula town Aug 12, 1990, and sentenced him to a six-month prison term. However, Rathore was immediately released on bail.

The budding tennis player had committed suicide three years after the incident due to alleged harassment by Rathore.

In the petition, Lakhanpal said he will also seek appropriate action against all those officials who favoured Rathore and made the trial drag on for 19 years.

“In my litigation, I would appeal to the high court to register a case against Rathore for implicating Ashu (Ruchika’s brother) in 11 cases of theft and illegally detaining him and torturing him for two months,” Lakhanpal said.

He added: “I would also demand that appropriate action is taken against the management of Sacred Heart School for expelling Ruchika from school.”