Whos complicit?

Here is what we know. Senior police officer S.P.S. Rathore molested 14-year-old Ruchika Girhotra in 1990. The CBI special court confirmed as much on Monday. But what about the complicity of others,those who let Ruchika down? Who will judge their deeds?

First,the politicians. Rathore rose to become Haryanas director general of police,the senior-most police officer in the state. The Haryana chief minister at the time of the incident,Hukam Singh who is considered close to Om Prakash Chautala,presided over the long delay in even filing an FIR. Chautala denies any responsibility,blaming former Chief Ministers Bhajan Lal and Bansi Lal for promoting Rathore to the post of ADGP and DGP. These promotions took place despite Rathore being indicted by a government-appointed inquiry headed by the then DGP,despite the Haryana chief secretary recommending action,despite the CBI Indias premier investigation agency filing charges against him. Besides,the political cover that Rathore enjoyed wasnt just with regard to promotions. Ruchikas family faced sustained harassment after the molestation. The CBI special court noted one such instance the staging of a public protest against Ruchika and her family. Then there were the cases filed against Ruchikas teenaged brother and his arrest on charges that the court later threw out. These charges formed the backdrop for Ruchikas suicide in 1993. Such harassment could not have taken place without political complicity,or at the very least,a political blind eye. Even more tragic was how her support group failed Ruchika. As this newspaper reported,Sacred Heart Convent School,Ruchikas school in Chandigarh,forced her to leave,ostensibly for not paying fees. Today,her former teachers are reluctant to talk about the case,dismissing it as an old issue.

Despite Rathores conviction,there remain questions on the meagre sentence six months,out of a maximum two years,inadequate charges what about his abetment to Ruchikas suicide? and the inordinate delay in obtaining a verdict 19 years. As the CBI mulls an appeal and activists argue for a new law that comes down strongly on molestation of minors,the dubious role that the political class and her support structures played must be mentioned. They strengthened the culture of immunity that let things come to such a pass.