04 January,2010 07:25 AM IST | | Anshuman G Dutta
Several agencies and govt kept sleeping over the case, prompting the teen's suicide
Ruchika Girhotra's family is amazed with the promptness every agency in the country has shown in responding to their plea for justice. Though they have all the reasons to feel good but in the hindsight they are unable to forget that their daughter would not have died had these agencies woken up 19 years ago. Here what they all have doing all these years.
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI):
While the premier investigating agency of the country is contemplating filing fresh charges against culprit SPS Rathore for molesting a minor girl, it shares an equal blame with the police for botching up the investigation. As shared by former joint director, CBI RM Singh -- who was investigating the case -- Rathore got him removed from the investigation by conniving with senior CBI officers. Singh has claimed that he as the investigating officer had included the charge of abetment of suicide against the former Haryana DGP, who also tried to bribe him during the course of investigation.
Union Law Ministry:
The ministry has suggested a reinvestigation in the case but only after a national uproar over the sentence to Rathore. Ruchika's case is not the first and only case where the rich and influential have exploited their position to bend the law.
Lost forever: The house of Ruchika's uncle Anand Prakash in Chandigarh. Prakash is pursuing the case on the family's behalf. Pic/Surender Sharma
National Commission for Women (NCW):
Ruchika's father and her friends kept fighting against the injustice for almost two decades but the NCW never got any hint of it. While it is supposed to take suo moto cognisance in all cases of injustice related to women and girl child it overlooked a case which happened less than 300 kms from Delhi.
Human Right Groups:
Human right NGOs and groups have also jumped in the fray to claim their share but they were completely absent 19 years ago when the then IG Haryana police SPS Rathore kept harassing Ruchika for three years forcing her to commit suicide. Ruchika's brother was severely tortured by the police but even the human right groups were nowhere in the scene.
Punjab & Haryana High Court:
Even the law ministry has admitted that the court did not pursue the matter "properly". While a court can direct the police to include abetment of suicide in the chargesheet, it failed to realise that Haryana police removed facts from the charge sheet on purpose as a senior official is involved.
Haryana Government:
Subsequent chief ministers in the Haryana government gave favours to SPS Rathore and he was finally promoted to the rank of Director General of Police (DGP). Every former chief minister is trying to pass the blame either to his successor or his predecessor.
Haryana police:
Rathore was able to manipulate almost every body while heading the force. While goons hired by the police harassed Ruchika, the cops booked her brother Ashu in false cases. Ashu was given third degree and beaten mercilessly by the cops under the alleged directions of Rathore.
Sacred Heart, Ruchika's school:
Ruchika was expelled from the school on the pretext that she did not pay her fees but now it is clear that it did so at the behest of Rathore. Though the school has not issued any statement it has also been pulled into the enquiry.
