SIT trying to shield Rathore: Ruchika’s lawyer

CHANDIGARH - Pankaj Bhardwaj, molestation victim Ruchika Girhotra’s lawyer, Wednesday said the special investigation team (SIT), constituted to probe fresh cases registered against former Haryana police chief S.P.S. Rathore, is trying to shield the accused.

“SIT is working hand in glove with the accused and they are only trying to shield him and delay the proceedings of the case. We have no trust in SIT’s investigation, that is why we had demanded a CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) probe in the case,” Bhardwaj told IANS here.

He added: “SIT is repeating history in the case, they are just doing the same things that the state police had done 19 years ago. Last week, they had suddenly arrested Gajender Singh, a car thief, who lived in a posh locality in Pune. Gajender had falsely implicated Ashu (Ruchika’s brother) in car theft cases.”

Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) R.S. Dalal had constituted the SIT Dec 30 to probe charges, including non-bailable ones like attempt to murder, against Rathore, who was DGP of the state October 1999-December 2000.

“So far, investigation of SIT raised many questions on their authenticity. Now there are media reports that they have also recorded the statements of a lady named Veena Girhotra, who had disappeared in 1993,” pointed out Bhardwaj.

Haryana inspector general (security) S.S. Kapoor, who heads the seven-member SIT, refuted the allegations. “We are neither working under anybody’s pressure nor we are helping anybody. We have inquired into this case in the most fair and unbiased manner. We have recorded the statements of people related to the case and collected various evidence,” Kapoor told IANS.

“Ruchika’s father S.C. Girhotra and her brother had not cooperated with us. They have not joined us in our investigation despite our several notices,” he stated.

A special CBI team from Delhi had taken up the probe into the three fresh charges, including attempt to murder, abetment to suicide, criminal conspiracy, wrongful confinement, tampering and forging evidence, against Rathore Tuesday.

A CBI special court in Chandigarh had Dec 21 held Rathore guilty of molesting 15-year-old Ruchika in Panchkula town Aug 12, 1990 and sentenced him to six months’ imprisonment. Rathore was immediately granted bail.

The budding tennis player had committed suicide three years after the incident.