High court reserves decision on Rathore’s revision petition

CHANDIGARH - The Punjab and Haryana High Court here Tuesday reserved its decision pertaining to the revision petition filed by disgraced former Haryana police chief S.P.S. Rathore, convicted for molesting teenager Ruchika Girhotra who later committed suicide.

Rathore, 68, was sentenced to 18 months rigorous imprisonment by the district and sessions court of Chandigarh and he had filed a revision petition challenging the sentence term.

Earlier in the day, Abha Rathore, the former police chief’s wife and counsel, completed her rebuttal arguments. While reserving the pronouncement, Justice Jitendra Chauhan also told the lawyers of all parties to submit their written petitions, if they have any, by 4 p.m. Wednesday.

The high court was hearing the arguments on the revision petition of Rathore on a day-to-day hearing basis for an hour every day since July 2.

Rathore, the former Haryana director general of police, was sent to Burail jail here May 25 after the court upheld his conviction in the molestation case by a CBI special court in December and enhanced his jail term to 18 months.

He was sentenced to six months rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs.1,000 by the CBI special court. He was immediately granted bail then.