Chandigarh:
The former police officer who molested 14-year-old Ruchika Girhotra has defended the smile that incensed India. In December, after SPS Rathore was sentenced to six months in prison, he was seen smiling as he left the court. Within ten minutes of his sentence being shared with him, he was granted bail. (
Read: SPS Rathore's smile frightens Ruchika's family)
Speaking to the media for the first time since he was sentenced, Rathore said, " I will not run away. The secret of my smile is in my drawing room. There is a photograph of my wife and advocate with Jawaharlal Nehru. When I was young, I used to run and get a glimpse of J N Nehru. I learned from him to smile in times of adversities and I will continue to smile." (
Watch: Ruchika's father on Rathore's smile)
Rathore molested Ruchika in 1990. Three years later, she killed herself, allegedly because Rathore harassed her family and her relentlessly to punish her for complaining against him.
Rathore has appealed against his six-month sentence. A Chandigarh court has granted him bail till February 8, so he will not be arrested till his appeal is heard.
There are three other police cases pending against Rathore, all filed after he was found guilty of molesting Ruchika. He's been accused of tampering with documents related to her post-mortem; of framing her brother in theft cases and putting him in jail; and, most seriously, of driving Ruchika to commit suicide.
Those cases have been transferred to the CBI. Because Rathore has not been granted bail in any of those cases, the CBI is technically free to arrest him. (
Forum: Will Rathore be punished?)