Ruchika’s father blames Chautala, system for shielding Rathore

PANCHKULA - S.C. Girhotra, father of teenaged molestation victim Ruchika Girhotra, Thursday blamed former chief minister Om Prakash Chautala and the entire establishment in Haryana for the harassment that drove his daughter to suicide and forced his family to go underground.

Coming out before the media and in the public for the first time in 19 years, Girhotra said his family was still terrified of former Haryana director general of police (DGP) S.P.S. Rathore and the system that supported the disgraced top cop.

“We want security for the family. If we are still threatened, we will seek security from the government,” Girhotra told reporters at the residence of Anand and Madhu Prakash, the parents of Ruchikas friend Aradhana.

The couple fought Ruchika’s case all these years since the Aug 12, 1990 molestation incident in this Haryana town, 10 km from Chandigarh.

“Chautala was the main person behind him. Rathore used to carry out all his (Chautalas) wrong deeds. Chautala was at his back all the while. Even after R.R. Singh (the then Haryana DGP in 1990) gave his report recommending registration of a case against Rathore, the government took no action,” Girhotra said.

Girhotra, a retired bank manager, cried bitterly as he recounted the molestation incident and what his daughter and his family went through.

Rathore was Monday convicted by a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special court in the molestation incident and sentenced to six months’ imprisonment and a fine of just Rs 1,000. He was immediately granted bail by the court.

But Girhotra said he and his family have been hurt by the mere six months’ imprisonment sentence given to Rathore.

“My daughter was molested, harassed and driven to death. My son Ashu was tormented and false cases were filed against him. All these cases were quashed by various courts. We were harassed at every stage. Rathore followed us to Shimla and other places where we shifted from Panchkula. He used to come everywhere,” the distraught father said.

Seeking “exemplary punishment” for Rathore, Girhotra said this was essential so that “children in this country are safe”.

“No other girl should face the situation that my daughter went through,” Girhotra said with tears in his eyes and his voice choked.

On his coming out in the open after Rathore’s conviction, Girhotra said: “We were harassed and threatened. But now the whole country is behind us. I think they will not do any foul play now.”