Chandigarh: Former police officer S P S Rathore, who was on Tuesday imprisoned for 18 months for molesting teenaged tennis player Ruchika Girhotra, has "no remorse for the wrong committed by him", said a Chandigarh court while increasing his punishment.
"The convict has no remorse for the wrong committed by him. Every witness of this case had to face allegations in one form or the other and an attempt was made to catch them in a well-woven legal web," said Additional District and Sessions Judge Gurbir Singh about the former Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) on Tuesday.
The judge noted that the nearly 20-year legal battle in the case was between two unequals.
Singh, who gave 18 months' jail to Rathore instead of the maximum up to two years under the law in a molestation case, justified it saying: "Although the convict deserves maximum punishment that is prescribed for the offence under Section 354 of the IPC but keeping in view the age of the convict, his medical background, his dependent unmarried daughter who suffers from a congenital heart problem, his meritorious service record and the fact that the convict spent more than 200 dates in the court during the trial of the case, the purpose of law would be met if the convict is awarded sentence of rigorous imprisonment for one-and-a-half years."
"Liberal view cannot be taken, prolonged trial and age of the convict can be considered while passing the order on quantum of sentence," the judge said.
"There is no dispute that Ruchika committed suicide. A precious life was lost. Thereafter departmental enquiry initiated against the convict on the basis of inquiry report of DGP R R Singh was dropped. The convict got promotions and retired as DGP of Haryana."
Rathore failed in his duties as a police officer and as president of Haryana Lawn Tennis Association by molesting Ruchika. "Due to activities of such persons, our nation is lagging behind in every sport and citizens of country" feel ashamed after knowing that India has lost again, it said.
“As long as such persons are at the helm of affairs of sports associations, the presence of women in sports activities cannot be increased and real talent cannot be brought forward to represent the country in various sports.
“Justice should not only be done but it appears to have been done."
The judge said the trial court had “erred” by giving just six months rigorous imprisonment to Rathore in December.
"In a case in which the convict deserved maximum sentence, the trial court erred by awarding rigorous imprisonment of six months to the convict. The court was required to minutely consider the conduct of the convict after the occurrence and during the trial of the case," the judge said in his 103-page order.
The judge, in the order, denied that the media coverage of the Ruchika molestation case had influenced the court.
"Courts are only bound by law and its own judicial conscience...Nobody should apprehend that media trial can influence the decision of the courts."
(With inputs from PTI and IANS)
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