Ruchika case: Rathore gets bail in case challenging CBI court verdict

Chandigarh: A sessions court today granted till February 8 bail to disgraced Haryana DGP SPS Rathore in his case challenging a CBI special court's verdict sentencing him to six months imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1,000 for molesting Ruchika Girhotra in 1990.

The CBI court had on December 21 granted bail to the 67-year-old Rathore to allow him to file his appeal against its judgement.

Additional district and sessions judge RS Attri granted the former IPS officer bail till February 8 when his appeal against the trial court order will come up for hearing.

In his order, Attri directed Rathore not to leave the country and submit his passport to the court. The District and Sessions Court had yesterday admitted his appeal and directed listing of the case before Attri.

The judge also issued notice to CBI to file its reply on the appeal by the next date of hearing. Rathore and his lawyer-wife Abha were present in the court.

The former DGP was convicted last month by Special CBI magistrate JS Sidhu who found him guilty under section 354 of the IPC with having molested 14-year-old Ruchika on August 12, 1990.

Rathore, who retired in 2002, was the IGP when he molested the girl, a budding tennis player, who committed suicide in December 1993.

The CBI counsel informed the court that the investigating agency has decided to seek enhancement of the sentence handed down to Rathore.

The judge then gave time till the next date of hearing to the CBI counsel to file the agency's petition on enhancement of the sentence.

The counsel for Madhu Parkash, the complainant and mother of Aradhana, the sole witness to the molestation of Ruchika, also submitted before the court that they would be filing a petition also for increasing the sentence.