Ruchika`s Case

Main Characters involved in the Case

• Ruchika Girhotra (Victim) • Subash Chander Girhotra

(Father)• Ashu (Brother)• Aradhna Prakash (Friend)• Anand Prakash (Friend`s

Father)• Madhu Prakash (Friend`s

Father)

• Shambhu Pratap Singh Rathore (Accused)

• Abha ( Wife)• Priyanjali (Daughter)• Rahul (Son)• Prem Dutt(Sub-Inspector)• Sewa Singh(Asst SI)• Jai Narayan (CIA)• Om Prakash Chautala (former

CM of Haryana)

Molestation• Ruchika was a promising tennis player.

• 11th Aug 1990 – Rathore visited S.C.Gorhotra`s house and promissed to get special training for Ruchica.

• On 12th – Ruchica and Aradhna went to play tennis & met Rathore in his office.

• He asked Aradhna to call Tennis coach, Mr.Thomas, to his room.

• Aradhna left, and Rathore was alone with Ruchica.

• He immediately grabbed her hand and waist and pressed his body against her.

Cont`d• Ruchika tried to push him away, but he continued molesting her.

• But Aradhna returned and witnessed what was going on.

• On seeing her, Rathore released Ruchika and he asked Aradhna to go back and bring the coach along with her.

• When she refused, he rebuked loudly, asking her to bring the coach.

• And he insisted that Ruchika stayed back in his room, but she managed to run out.

• Ruchika told everything that happened. And they did not tell anyone at first.

• On 13th, the next day, they did not go to play

Cont`d• On 14th – they changed the time of practice to avoid Rathore and played till

6:30 pm.

• As they were leaving, the ball picker, Patloo, told that Rathore had called them to his office room.

• At this point they decided to tell to parents. Following this, the residents of Panchukula gathered and decided to take strong action, by bringing up the matter with higher authorities.

• They could not meet Hukum Singh(CM) or Sampat Singh(HM) but met house secretary J K Duggal.

• On 17th – J K Duggal discussed the matter with Sampat Singh(HM) and asked DGP Ram Rakshapal Singh to investigate.

• Rathore Allegedly paid some residents of Rajiv colony (a slum) and staged Dharnas outside the office and home of Ram Rakshpal Singh.

Cont`d• On Sep 3rd – The report was submitted to JK Duggal and He forwarded the

report to Home minister and he failed to farward the report to Chief minister.

• The report recommended that an FIR to be filed against Rathore. But the home secretary who replaced Sampat Singh failed to follow it up

again.

• An ex-MLA, Jagjeet Singh Tikka, Organised a large group of people to harrase Ruchika`s family.

• On 28th May 1991 - Instead of filing FIR, Government preferred Departmental Action.

• Rathore Enjoyed support from all the CMs using his influence and loop holes in the System to escape.

Harassment

• On sep 1990 – Ruchika was expelled from her school. Ruchika studied there from class 1st .

• The school actively plotted Ruchika. The reason for expulsion was non payment of fees.

• After her expulsion, Ruchika confined herself to indoors. Whenever she went out she followed and harassed by Rathore`s henchmen.

• Rathore deployed policemen in plaincloths infront of her house to keep an eye on the family.

• False cases of theft, murder and civil defamation were filed against her father and 10years old brother.

Cont`d• Cases were also filed against Anand, Madhu and Aradhna.

• Anand worked as chief engineer in Haryana state Agriculture Marketing Board. 20 cases were filed against him.

• Aradhna, who is the sole witness of the case, had 10 civil cases filed against her by rathore.She received abusive and Threatening calls untill she got married and left to Australia.

• Punkaj Bharadwaj, who took Ruchica`s case was slapped and was filed two cases against him by Rathore. Rathore also filed two cases against two journalists who reported the matter.

• On sep 23rd 1993, Ruchika`s brother was picked by police men in a market place and was taken to Crime Investigation Agency.

Cont`d

• His two hands were tied at his back, was made to bend, and legs were tied with a weight. He was kept in this uncomfortable position for an extended period.

• After some time, when Rathore arrived there, he was then tortured further.

• While still in illegal confinement, he was taken to his house and was beaten mercilessly in front of Ruchika and her father.

• On 11th Nov, He was again picked up and was tortured and was unable to walk due to beatings.

• He was allegedly forced to sign on Blank papers, which were used later by police to show his confessions, that he stole 11 cars.

Cont`d• The Girhotra`s kanal Bangalow was forcibly sold to a lawyer working

for Rathore. And Ruchika`s father was Suspended from his job as Bank Manager.

• They moved to outskirts of Simla.

Suicide:

• On Dec 28th 1993 – Ruchika Consumed poison and died on the next day. Rathore threw a party that night to celebrate.

• Rathore refused to release Ruchika`s body to her father unless he signed blank sheets of papers.

• In the postmortem report, the name Ruchika was replaced with her nick name Ruby and her father`s name was changed to Subhash Chander Khatri

• This was to ensure that, anybody reading the report would not know its pertains to Ruchika.

• The government Closed the case, filed against Rathore less than a week after her death.

Cont`d• In 1994, Rathore was promoted to additional DGP. And no action was

taken on the inquiry report.

• Anand Prakash tried to get a copy of the report. After 3yrs he finally obtained it in 1997. In november he moved the report to Punjab and Haryana Highcourt.

• On 21st Aug 1998, the Highcourt directed the CBI to conduct an inquiry.

• In Oct 1999, Indian National Lok Dal(INLD) government lead by Om Prakash Chautala made Rathore the police chief of the state.

• His name was even recommended for a president`s police medal for Distinguished Service by the same government.

Cont`d• Shanta kumar, Who was then Vice President of the BJP in 2000,

wrote a letter to Om Prakash Chautala, Urging him to take strict action against Rathore in the case.

• Instead of acting on the letter, Chautala complained to then PM, Atal Bihari Vajpayee about it.

Ashu`s Case:• On 12th Dec 2000, Ashu filed a case before Highcourt. While deposing

before the division bench, Ashu Stated that he had undergone inhuman treatment at the instance of Rathore and Panchukula Police station.

• On 13th Dec 2000, the division bench voiced support for compensation to Ashu for harassment caused to him.

• Rathore filed an affidavit in 2001 denying the allegations.

• The Highcourt then reffered the inquiry to Patiala sessions judge.

• On 3rd sep 2002, Ashu detailed the torture he was put through to a Patiala Sessions Court.

• But Rathore approached Supreme Court and got the Highcourt order Quashed.

CBI Inquiry:• On 21st Aug 1998, the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the

CBI to conduct an inquiry.

• The Highcourt had ordered complition of Investigation of the case, filing of Chargesheet preferably within 6 months.

• But, it took more than a year before CBI filed a Charge sheet.

• On Nov 16th 2000, the CBI filed a chargesheet against rathore. The case was put in the CBI Special Court. This went till May 2006.

Cont`d

• The charge sheet was filed only under section 354(molestation). Abetment to suicide was not at all included.

• On 8th Oct 2001, Anand - abetment to suicide(IPC section 306)

• 23rd oct 2001, Special Judge Jagdev Singh Dhanjal also demanded.

• Dhanjal was forced to take premature retirement two years laters.

• In Feb 2002, Justice K.C. Kathuria of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Dismissed the CBI court`s Decission(FIR).

• After filing the charge sheet in 2000, The CBI took 7yrs to record evidence from 16 witnesses.

• The Defence councel took 9 months to complete examination of 13/17.

Rathore`s Influence• Rathore tried his influence.

• R.M.Singh, who was joint director of CBI in 1998 and retired in 2001, said that Rathore was Tracking the case.

• On 5th Nov 2009, the case was transferred from Ambala court to CBI Chandigarh.

• In Dec, the court closed all final arguments and gave it verdict on 21st Dec 2009, Special Judge J.S.Sidhu Pronounced a 6 MONTHS JAIL SENTENCE and a FINE OF Rs. 1000/-

• In Nov 2010, The CBI opposed his plea and extended the imprisonment.

Impact:• The case was brought up for debate in parliament.

• "After 19 years, the criminal has been found guilty but all he got as punishment was 6 months in prison. Within 10 minutes of conviction, he was out on bail. Is it not a shame for all of us?“ asked CPIM leader Brinda Karat.

• Om Prakash Chautala, when asked about the case, dismissed is as a “frivolous issue”.

All the crimes committed in the Ruchika case• 1. Molestation.

2. Abbetment to suicide.3. Unlawful arrest of her brother.4. Torture of her brother in police custody.5. Unlawful expulsion of her from school.6. Paying goondas to harass Ruchika and her family.7. Attempt to bribe Mr Prakash to with draw.8. Intimidation of Ruchika, her friend and her friend’s parents to withdraw case.

9. Bribing of investigation officials in Haryana state police10. Bribing of Home minister and Chief Minister.11. Bribing of CBI officials.12. Bribing of doctor who conducted autopsy of Ruchika.13. Bribing policemen in Ambala police station to file false cases

against Ruchika’s brother.

Justice For Ruchika?• If you wish to support Ruchika`s family in this case you can mail to• aradhanaforruchika@gmail.com