New Delhi:
The Ruchika Girhotra case proves that criminals with powerful connections manage to subvert justice. Acknowledging this, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has said that cases against senior police officers, bureaucrats and politicians should be fast-tracked.
Justice Ranjit Singh has issued notice to the Home Secretaries of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh to provide details of all criminal cases involving high officials and politicians by January 12, when the High Court re-opens.
Justice Ranjit Singh observed "Bugged by the delay in deciding Ruchika case, the public at large is clamouring for the heads of all those who were instrumental for the aberration. This case is prime example of justice delayed is justice denied. Blame for this has to be shared by all concerned, including the justice delivery system of the courts....It is rightly noticed, and justifiably is cause of serious concern, that powerful persons occupying high position have generally been able to circumvent the system at all levels and at all stages."
Ruchika Girhotra was a 14-year-old when she was molested by a senior police officer in Haryana, SPS Rathore. After Ruchika filed a complaint against Rathore, her family was relentlessly harassed for three years. She was expelled from her school, allegedly under the influence of Rathore. Her brother was framed for theft and imprisoned. Tired of watching her family suffer, Ruchika killed herself in 1993.
Rathore's career flourished. Four successive chief ministers did nothing to punish him. He retired in 2002 as the chief of the Haryana Police.
Ruchika's friends and family spent years trying to win justice for her. Even getting an official case registered against Rathore proved to be exhausting. Finally, in 1999, the CBI took over the case. In December 2009, Rathore was sentenced to six months in prison.
The sentence shocked India and it's legal experts. At every stage, there seemed to be evidence of how Rathore managed to either delay his trial, or influence investigating officers to ensure that the charges against him were minor - molestation - instead of what many say he should be tried for - abetment of suicide. That's the offence that Ruchika's family wants Rathore to be accused of - the Haryana police, the CBI and the union government say they're preparing the grounds to charge Rathore with abetment of suicide. I convicted for that, Rathore faces upto ten years in prison.
Justice Ranjit Singh has issued notice to the Home Secretaries of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh to provide details of all criminal cases involving high officials and politicians by January 12, when the High Court re-opens.
Justice Ranjit Singh observed "Bugged by the delay in deciding Ruchika case, the public at large is clamouring for the heads of all those who were instrumental for the aberration. This case is prime example of justice delayed is justice denied. Blame for this has to be shared by all concerned, including the justice delivery system of the courts....It is rightly noticed, and justifiably is cause of serious concern, that powerful persons occupying high position have generally been able to circumvent the system at all levels and at all stages."
Ruchika Girhotra was a 14-year-old when she was molested by a senior police officer in Haryana, SPS Rathore. After Ruchika filed a complaint against Rathore, her family was relentlessly harassed for three years. She was expelled from her school, allegedly under the influence of Rathore. Her brother was framed for theft and imprisoned. Tired of watching her family suffer, Ruchika killed herself in 1993.
Rathore's career flourished. Four successive chief ministers did nothing to punish him. He retired in 2002 as the chief of the Haryana Police.
Ruchika's friends and family spent years trying to win justice for her. Even getting an official case registered against Rathore proved to be exhausting. Finally, in 1999, the CBI took over the case. In December 2009, Rathore was sentenced to six months in prison.
The sentence shocked India and it's legal experts. At every stage, there seemed to be evidence of how Rathore managed to either delay his trial, or influence investigating officers to ensure that the charges against him were minor - molestation - instead of what many say he should be tried for - abetment of suicide. That's the offence that Ruchika's family wants Rathore to be accused of - the Haryana police, the CBI and the union government say they're preparing the grounds to charge Rathore with abetment of suicide. I convicted for that, Rathore faces upto ten years in prison.
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