New Delhi:
For days as the Ruchika story from 19 years ago has unfolded before another generation altogether, the Girhotra family has meant father, brother and Ruchika, who was molested by a top cop at 14 and killed herself at 18. Her mother had died when Ruchika was 10.
But Abha Rathore, the lawyer and wife of Ruchika's tormenter SPS Rathore, has repeatedly referred to a Veena Girhotra as Ruchika's step-mother, who, she says, drove Ruchika to suicide.
Rathore had molested Ruchika in 1990. After months of depression and harassment she killed herself in 1993. Last month, Rathore was given a six-month sentence for molestation. The Girhotra family has now filed fresh charges, including that of abetment to suicide, contending that Rathore's harassment of the family drove Ruchika to kill herself. And Rathore has sought anticipatory bail.
Pleading for bail for her husband, Abha told the court that Veena was Ruchika's stepmother. She pointed out that Subhash Girhotra had earlier told the CBI court that on the night of December 27, 1993, a day before Ruchika committed suicide, he had gone to the temple with Veena after locking the door from outside with Ruchika inside.
Ruchika drank poison the next day and died on December 29, 1993.
Ruchika's father Subhash Girhotra denies that he ever remarried. "I never got married again...this is not correct...they are trying to mislead...we will expose him in the court," he says.
The Girhotra lawyer and Ruchika's friend Aradhna too deny the existence of a Veena Girhotra.
On a live chat on NDTV.com, Aradhna was asked by a surfer Parvathy: "How do you react to the controversies regarding Ruchika's step mother? To which Aradhna said: "Rathore and his lawyers are experts.,.they delayed a 19-day case to 19 years...this is just one of the tactics to delay...our lawyers already have all the supporting evidence for this statement."
But in 2005, Girhotra had told the CBI court in Ambala: "I married Veena Girhotra in November 1991. This was my second marriage."
He had said that Veena lived with him in Panchkula till June 1995 and then they separated. He said it was incorrect that he had lost the confidence of his children after marrying for a second time.
He also said then that it was incorrect to say that Ruchika had become depressed because of the behaviour of the step-mother.
Ruchika's inquest report has a Veena signing with the Girhotra surname.
Aradhna's father, Anand Prakash, who too has fought a long and hard battle for justice for Ruchika, has said that Veena was the name of a person hired to look after the Girhotra children. He said she was present when Ruchika died but was not married to Subhash Girhotra.
Once the CBI takes over, it will certainly look into the "Veena" aspect too.
But Abha Rathore, the lawyer and wife of Ruchika's tormenter SPS Rathore, has repeatedly referred to a Veena Girhotra as Ruchika's step-mother, who, she says, drove Ruchika to suicide.
Rathore had molested Ruchika in 1990. After months of depression and harassment she killed herself in 1993. Last month, Rathore was given a six-month sentence for molestation. The Girhotra family has now filed fresh charges, including that of abetment to suicide, contending that Rathore's harassment of the family drove Ruchika to kill herself. And Rathore has sought anticipatory bail.
Pleading for bail for her husband, Abha told the court that Veena was Ruchika's stepmother. She pointed out that Subhash Girhotra had earlier told the CBI court that on the night of December 27, 1993, a day before Ruchika committed suicide, he had gone to the temple with Veena after locking the door from outside with Ruchika inside.
Ruchika drank poison the next day and died on December 29, 1993.
Ruchika's father Subhash Girhotra denies that he ever remarried. "I never got married again...this is not correct...they are trying to mislead...we will expose him in the court," he says.
The Girhotra lawyer and Ruchika's friend Aradhna too deny the existence of a Veena Girhotra.
On a live chat on NDTV.com, Aradhna was asked by a surfer Parvathy: "How do you react to the controversies regarding Ruchika's step mother? To which Aradhna said: "Rathore and his lawyers are experts.,.they delayed a 19-day case to 19 years...this is just one of the tactics to delay...our lawyers already have all the supporting evidence for this statement."
But in 2005, Girhotra had told the CBI court in Ambala: "I married Veena Girhotra in November 1991. This was my second marriage."
He had said that Veena lived with him in Panchkula till June 1995 and then they separated. He said it was incorrect that he had lost the confidence of his children after marrying for a second time.
He also said then that it was incorrect to say that Ruchika had become depressed because of the behaviour of the step-mother.
Ruchika's inquest report has a Veena signing with the Girhotra surname.
Aradhna's father, Anand Prakash, who too has fought a long and hard battle for justice for Ruchika, has said that Veena was the name of a person hired to look after the Girhotra children. He said she was present when Ruchika died but was not married to Subhash Girhotra.
Once the CBI takes over, it will certainly look into the "Veena" aspect too.
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