Appeal against lighter punishment to Rathore, NCW to Haryana

NEW DELHI - The National Commission for Women (NCW) Wednesday asked Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda to appeal against the six-month prison term given to former Haryana director general of police (DGP) S.P.S. Rathore for molesting teenager Ruchika Girhotra 19 years ago.

I am very sad after the verdict. I have written to the chief minister of Haryana to appeal against the lighter punishment in this case, NCW chairperson Girija Vyas told reporters at a press conference here.

We are also thinking of pushing for civil damages for the victim’s relatives. The compensation won’t bring the girl back but at least it would provide some relief for those who are fighting the case for the last 19 years, she said.

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.

But lawyers and activists had felt that Rathore has been let off lightly by the court.

Many felt he should be booked and held guilty for abetment to suicide (section 306 of the Indian Penal Code) as it was his action that drove the girl to commit suicide by consuming poison in December 1993.