The government is all set to initiate the process of reducing the pension of former Haryana DGP SPS Rathore, convicted in the Ruchika molestation case, next week even if he did not reply to the show-cause notice served on him.
Rathore, who was served with a show-cause notice asking why his pension should not be reduced for allegedly abusing power and bringing disrepute to the police service, has sent an acknowledgement of the notice but no reply.
"He has time till first week of February to reply to the show cause notice. But, even if he does not reply to the notice, we will start the process of reducing his pension," a home ministry official said.
As part of the exercise, after taking a view on how much Rathore's pension should be reduced, fully or partly, the home ministry will seek opinion from the Union public service commission on the issue as part of the rules.
"Following UPSC's opinion, we can go ahead with our decision," the official said.
The show cause notice, stating his conduct was allegedly unbecoming of a police officer, was served on Rathore on December 26, 2009. A reminder of the notice was also served on January 19.
The disgraced police officer has been sentenced by a court to six months jail for molesting 14-year-old Ruchika nearly 19 years ago.
With the light sentence awarded to him creating an uproar, the Central Police Awards Committee (CPAC), headed by Union home secretary Gopal K Pillai, on January 4 had recommended to the President for the withdrawal of police medal given to Rathore.
Rathore, a 1965-batch IPS officer who retired in 2002, was awarded the Police Medal for Meritorious service on August 15, 1985.
Ruchika, a budding tennis player, was molested in 1990 by Rathore, the then inspector general of police. She committedsuicide three years later by consuming poison.
She was also expelled from school and false cases were slapped against her brother, her family said.
