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Journalism of Courage
CHANDIGARH, NOV 20: ON June 30, 1992, the Haryana Law Department reiterated its opinion that an FIR be registered against senior Haryana police officer and current DGP S P S Rathore in the Ruchika molestation case. Two months later, the Haryana police picked up Ruchika’s 14-year-old brother Ashu on a charge of car theft. In the next 11 months, he was picked up five more times and let off each time. The bizarre sequence ended only after Ruchika committed suicide on December 29, 1993. In fact, it’s a wonder that the events didn’t claim Ashu’s life as well.
Was there more than mere coincidence to the Haryana police’s actions in the Ruchika case in which Rathore stands charged with molesting the 14-year-old in those 18 fateful months? The evidence seems overwhelming.
Till December 1991, the government had twice referred the case file for a second opinion after receiving advice to prosecute Rathore. The first time it did so was on September 27 1990, after the Financial Commissioner recommended filing of cases under Sections 342 and 354. The Law Department, then okayed registration of a case against Rathore. On January 25, 1991, Home Minister Sampat Singh again referred the file, this time to new DGP R K Hooda; he recommended departmental action in the case.
So far, there was every reason to believe Rathore would get off with a departmental inquiry. Then came the law department’s opinion for the second time. For the next few months, life for Ashu Girothra became hell. Ashu was barely into his teens at the time, and already traumatised by what happened to his sister. He had no previous history of crime or delinquency, he came from a well-off family (his father was a senior bank manager). Madhu Prakash, whose daughter Reemu was with Ruchika on the day of the incident, remembers him as a timid, quiet boy who would visit their house with his sister.
To top it all, the crimes allegedly committed by him were all in the Panchkula (Haryana) area, which is strange behaviour for someone who knows the Haryana Police are after him.
Today, 22-year-old Ashu is in hiding. The family broke up a few years ago Ruchika’s mother died before the incident and her father Subhash was last seen in an ashram in Calcutta and Ashu left home. Sources say he’s married, with a baby girl, and living outside Haryana, still in fear of the state police though he’s said to be regaining his confidence. He is apparently aware of the developments.
Factfile
June 30, 1992: Law Department reiterates opinion recommending registration of FIR against Rathore
Sept 6: Haryana Police registers first FIR, no 139, of auto theft against Ashu
March 29, 1993: Second FIR, no 47, of auto theft.
April 15: Third FIR, no 57, of auto theft.
May 10: Fourth FIR, no 65, of auto theft.
June 12: Fifth FIR, no 96, of auto theft and cheating (Section 420)
Aug 30: Sixth FIR, no 127, of auto theft
Dec 29: Ruchika dies, no further cases.
