Haryana police make first arrest in Ruchika's case

Pune: In the first arrest in a case linked to the Ruchika Girhotra molestation incident, Haryana police have nabbed the absconding accused in an old auto theft case in which the brother of the victim was falsely implicated allegedly at the behest of ex-DGP SPS Rathore.

A team of Haryana police, assisted by their Pune counterparts yesterday morning, nabbed Gajinder Singh from Baner Road area, where he used to run a dhaba (roadside eatery), in connection with a 1993 auto theft case, police said today.

Singh, a proclaimed offender, who had been absconding since 1997, was taken to Haryana by the investigating team after obtaining his transit remand.

Several cases relating to car theft and other offences were slapped on Ruchika's brother Ashu Girhotra in 1993, but he was later acquitted of the charges by the courts. The family alleges that false cases were brought at Rathore's behest, and that Ashu was harassed and tortured in custody.

The former Haryana top cop was awarded a six-month jail term by a CBI court on December 21 last for molesting Ruchika, a budding tennis player, in 1990 when he was an IGP. She committed suicide three years later.

Ruchika's father Subhash Chander Girhotra and Ashu had recently filed two complaints against Rathore, accusing him of attempt to murder and wrongful confinement of Ashu and forging the post-mortem report of Ruchika, after which two fresh FIRs were lodged against the former IPS officer.

Rathore's anticipatory bail pleas in connection with the two FIRs have also been rejected by a Panchkula sessions court.