Rathore may lose police medal after Ruchika tarnish

NEW DELHI - Taking a tough stand against disgraced former Haryana police chief S.P.S. Rathore, convicted of molesting 14-year-old Ruchika Girhotra, the home ministry is planning to issue him a show cause notice on why he should not be stripped of the President’s police medal.

Home ministry sources said it has also called for a report from the Haryana government about the basis on which it had recommended Rathore’s name for a President’s police medal for distinguished service.

The President’s medal is normally awarded to police officers with a flawless service record.

Rathore was earlier this week convicted by a special CBI court in the August 1990 molestation case.

Officials in the ministry said the government was also “actively considering” why the disgraced police officer should get full pension after being convicted.

Ruchika, a 14-year-old budding tennis player, had committed suicide in December 1993, three years after the incident, following alleged harassment of her and her family at Rathore’s behest.

Rathore, who was an Inspector General (IG) in Haryana police when the molestation incident took place, continued to be promoted by successive governments in the state despite the charges against him.

He became the police chief (October 1999-December 2000) during the rule of chief minister Om Prakash Chautala.