'Ruchika case, a mockery of justice system'

New Delhi, Dec 22: Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) MP Brinda Karat brought up the molestation case of teenager Ruchika Girhotra in the Rajya Sabha and questioned the quantum of sentence awarded to the accused in the case.

The MP, known for being a women's rights activist, brought up the issue in the upper house on Tuesday, Dec 22, one day after the judgment was delivered in the 1990 case.

Karat said that six months imprisonment handed out to the accused ex-DGP of Haryana SPS Rathore was far too less and that it made a mockery of the justice system.

Stressing on the fact that the judgement in the case came 19 years after the incident, the MP spoke on the need for fast track justice system for sexual harassment cases.

"After 19 years, the criminal has been found guilty but all he got as punishment was 6 months in prison." Karat said, going on to question, "How long are we going to tolerate these kind of cases in which young girls have no security and when justice is denied in the way it has been?"

She also expressed anguish at the fact that Rathore managed to get the bail from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court immediately after his sentencing.

In Aug 1990, 14-year-old Ruchika was molested by Rathore in this office-cum-residence. The budding tennis player, committed suicide after the incident.

OneIndia News