Within a week of the Supreme Court releasing former Haryana DGP SPS Rathore on bail, the Punjab and Haryana high court asked CBI on Wednesday to file details of investigation reports in three FIRs registered this year against Rathore in the molestation case.
CBI had filed closure reports in two of the three cases in the special CBI court in Ambala early this month, and had not opposed the bail plea of Rathore in the apex court.
A double bench of the high court comprising justice Vipin Mudgal and justice Rajan Gogoi was hearing a PIL filed in this case in December last year. It also issued notices to the Haryana government for promoting Rathore to the rank of DGP, and to the Central Board of Secondary Education asking them to explain what action had been taken against the Sacred Heart School management for rusticating Ruchika Girhotra on ground of non-payment of tuition fee.
The court also issued notice to Sacred Heart School and directed the authorities to produce the inquiry report on Ruchika’s expulsion from the institute allegedly at the behest of Rathore.
The three cases that CBI took over for investigation were to ascertain Rathore’s role in abetting Ruchika’s suicide, keeping Ruchika’s brother Ashu in illegal confinement and tampering with Ruchika’s inquest report.
The probe agency filed final report last week in cases related to Ruchika’s post mortem report and detention of Ashu saying that it had no evidence to substantiate the two charges.
A PIL was filed in December last year seeking a fresh probe in the case under section 305 of IPC (abetment of suicide of a minor or insane person) as Ruchika was a minor when the incident occurred.
Punishment under Section 305 includes death penalty or life imprisonment.
Rathore, who was earlier convicted of molesting Ruchika leading to her death 17 years ago, faces fresh trouble after being released on Friday on bail from Burail jail.
The Supreme Court had granted him bail about six months after his imprisonment when the CBI filed closure reports in two of the three cases related to Ruchika’s molestation.
Issuing a notice to CBI, the high court has asked it to explain the basis on which it cancelled two cases and also explain what it is the status of the third case pending against Rathore.
The closure reports were filed before the CBI court in Ambala which is yet to take a view. CBI court has also issued notices to the Girhotra family.
The court has even sought an answer from the Haryana government on how Rathore was promoted to the post of DGP despite serious charges against him.
