Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Ruchika's father, lawyer meet Chidambaram

Ruchika Girhotra's father, Subhash, and the family lawyer met Home Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday to discuss the case.

Emerging from the meeting, the lawyer, Pankaj Bhardwaj, said: "We are very satisfied with the meeting...He knew the entire case and I will have to give him some documents...it is an old case." (Watch: Home Minister gave me a patient hearing: Ruchika's father)

Bhardwaj said there were many ways to re-open the case under Section 306, which relates to abetment to suicide. He described the meeting with Chidambaram as an exchange of ideas...to find the best remedy in the situation today.

Ruchika's father said the "minister gave us a patient hearing". The Home Minister had reportedly asked Subhash Girhotra to meet him.

When she was 14, Ruchika was molested by senior police officer SPS Rathore in Haryana. That was in 1990. Ruchika filed a complaint immediately against Rathore. A police inquiry found him guilty, but no action was taken against him. For the next three years, Rathore punished Ruchika by harassing her family. Her brother was framed for theft and put in jail in 1993. Unable to cope with the pressure, Ruchika killed herself a few months later.

Earlier this month, Rathore was sentenced to six months in prison for molesting Ruchika. National outrage followed, with expert and public opinion demanding that he face more serious charges and harsher punishment.

On Tuesday, the Law Minister told NDTV that he is examining whether Rathore can be charged with abetment of suicide of a minor. If he is indeed charged with that, Rathore could face the death sentence.

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