Himachal cop’s link to woman’s suicide: Kin moves court

SHIMLA - The family of a woman, who was in love with a senior police officer’s son and allegedly took her life when her marriage proposal was turned down, Thursday moved the Himachal Pradesh High Court demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the incident.

“The matter has been listed for hearing tomorrow (Friday) in the court of Chief Justice Kurian Joseph,” Pankaj Bhardwaj, counsel for the woman’s family, told reporters here.

Ritu, 28, hanged herself from a ceiling fan at her residence here March 28. She was reportedly in love with son of Inspector General of Police Pradeep Kumar Sarpal.

The woman’s relatives alleged that she took the extreme step after the Sarpals refused to let her marry their son. Sidharth, a sub-judge in Mandi district, and Ritu were known to each other for 15 years.

Bhardwaj, counsel for Ruchika Girhotra, a Panchkula schoolgirl who committed suicide after former Haryana police chief S.P.S. Rathore molested her, said the petition has drawn similarity in the two cases.

“In both the incidents, cases were registered under Section 306 (abetment to suicide) of the Indian Penal Code against senior police officers,” he said.

As per the first information report, Sarpal, his son and some policemen entered Ritu’s house after her suicide and tried to tamper with the evidence.

Sarpal, his wife and his son were booked for abetment to suicide and trying to destroy evidence from the crime scene.

The state government has already ordered a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probe into the case.

Sarpal has gone on a long leave.