Ruchika case: PIL filed against Rathore

Chandigarh, Dec 29: A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking a 'fresh case' against former Haryana DGP SPS Rathore.

Senior lawyer and human rights activist Ranjan Lakhanpal, who filed the PIL, said that a fresh case was being sought against Rathore under Section 305 of the Indian Penal Code.

The matter is likely to be taken up by the high court on Jan 6.

"I have filed the PIL. The hearing will take place on Jan 6. We have sought a fresh case against Rathore under Section 305 of IPC," Lakhanpal was quoted by news agency as saying.

Section 305 has harsher punishment, including death penalty or life imprisonment, if the offender abets the suicide of a minor or insane person.

Ruchika, a budding tennis player, was molested by Rathore in Panchkula town in Haryana and had committed suicide three years later by consuming poison Dec 29, 1993.

In the petition Lakhanpal has also sought appropriate action against all those officials who favoured Rathore and delayed the trial for 19 years.

"I have appealed to the high court to register a case against Rathore for implicating Ashu (Ruchika's brother) in 11 cases of theft and illegally detaining him and torturing him for two months," said Lakhanpal.

OneIndia News