Ruchika molestation case chronology

CHANDIGARH - Following is the chronology of events in the Ruchika Girhotra molestation case:

- Aug 12, 1990: Haryana Police Inspector General of Police (IGP) S.P.S. Rathore, also the Haryana Lawn Tennis Association (HLTA) president, molests 15-year-old budding tennis player Ruchika Girhotra in his office.

- Aug 16, 1990: Complaint made to Chief Minister Hukam Singh and home secretary.

- Aug 17, 1990: Chief Minister Hukam Singh asks Director General of Police (DGP) R.R. Singh to investigate the matter.

- Aug 18, 1990: Police make an entry in their records against Rathore.

- Sep 3, 1990: DGP Singh finds Rathore prima facie guilty, submits report. Recommends FIR in the matter. Later, new DGP R.K. Hooda and home secretary J.K. Duggal recommend departmental action and chargesheet against Rathore.

- March 12, 1991: Home Minister Sampat Singh gives consent to departmental action against Rathore. Forwards recommendation to the chief minister.

- March 13, 1991: Chief Minister Hukam Singh gives his consent to the proposal.

- March 22, 1991: Om Prakash Chautala becomes new chief Minister of Haryana. Chautala remains chief minister for 14 days amid political turbulence and instability.

- April 6, 1991: President’s rule is imposed in the state. Governor Dhanik Lal Mandal takes over.

- May 28, 1991: Charge sheet approved against Rathore during president’s rule.

- July 23, 1991: Bhajan Lal-led Congress government takes over. He remains chief minister till May 9, 1996. During this period most of the alleged atrocities against Ruchika’s family take place at Rathore’s behest.

- April 6, 1992: FIR against Ashu, Ruchika’s brother, for car theft registered.

- June 30, 1992: Matter for registering FIR against Rathore taken up and Haryana legal remembrancer R.K. Nehru recommends immediate registration of FIR against Rathore.

- March 30, 1993: Another FIR is registered against Ashu for car theft.

- May 10, 1993: One more FIR is registered against Ashu for car theft.

- June 12, 1993: Yet another FIR is registered against Ashu for car theft.

- July 30, 1993: One more FIR is registered against Ashu for car theft.

- Sep 4, 1993: Another FIR is registered against Ashu for car theft.

- Oct 23, 1993: Ashu is picked by Haryana Police and kept in illegal detention for almost two months. Eleven car theft cases were registered against him.

- Dec 28, 1993: Unable to cope with harassment imposed on her and her family, Ruchika commits suicide by consuming poison.

- Dec 29, 1993: Ashu is released one day after the suicide of Ruchika.

- April 1994: Charges framed against Rathore dropped during Bhajan Lal’s tenure, months after Ruchika died.

- Nov 4, 1994: Rathore promoted as additional DGP by Bhajan Lal government.

- May 11, 1996: Bansi Lal becomes Haryana chief minister. Remains chief minister till 23 July, 1999.

- June 5, 1998: Rathore suspended by Bansi Lal government in connection with a matter relating a parole case linked to a detainee.

- Aug 21, 1998: CBI probe is ordered in Ruchika molestation case by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

- March 3, 1999: Rathore is reinstated as additional DGP by Bansi Lal government.

- July 23, 1999: Om Prakash Chautala becomes chief minister again.

- Sep 30, 1999: Departmental enquiry exonerates Rathore in the molestation case and he is promoted as DGP with effect from May 20, 1999.

- Oct 10, 1999: Rathore made Haryana’s DGP (state police chief) by the Chautala government.

- Nov 16, 2000: CBI files charge sheet against Rathore in the Ruchika molestation case.

- Dec 5, 2000: Rathore removed as Haryana police chief. Sent on leave.

- March 2002: Rathore retires from service.

- Dec 21, 2009: CBI special court convicts Rathore in the Ruchika molestation case. He is sentenced to six months imprisonment and fined Rs.1,000. Media questions how he was let off with a minor punishment, that too after 19 years, in the case that forced the teenaged girl to commit suicide.

- Jan 5, 2010: Under pressure from various quarters, Haryana police register three fresh FIRs against Rathore in the Ruchika case. He is charged with abetment to Ruchika’s suicide, torturing her brother, attempt to murder, criminal intimidation, forging evidence, wrongful confinement, fabricating false evidence and criminal conspiracy. Haryana police seeks transfer of fresh cases to CBI.

- Jan 15: CBI team from New Delhi starts investigations into the Ruchika case after registering three fresh cases against Rathore.

- Jan 25: High court grants interim bail to Rathore in fresh cases registered against him by CBI.

- Feb 8: Rathore attacked by a youth, Utsav Sharma, outside Chandigarh’s district court complex while coming out after a court hearing. Attacked with a small knife, receives injury on face and neck.

- May 3-11: District and sessions court in Chandigarh holds continuous hearing on Rathore’s plea opposing his conviction by the CBI special court and the CBI’s plea seeking enhancement of his six months’ sentence.

- May 25: Rathore arrested by CBI after district and sessions court dismisses his appeal against his conviction in a CBI special court. Court enhances his jail term to 18 months.