Ruchika Girhotra Biography 
Ruchika Girhotra was a 14-year old teenager who was the prime victim of the sensational Ruchika Girhotra case of 1990s. In 1990 she filed a complaint on molestation against Inspector General of Police Mr. Shambu (S.P.S. Rathore) in Haryana, and following the frequent harassment by the police she committed suicide on 28 December 1993, at a very young age of 17. This particular case has been in the headlines for many years and most surprising, when Rathore was found guilty after 19 years of the incident, he got a punishment of only 6 months in prison! Though the prime witness of the incident, Ruchika’s friend - Aradhna Prakash started a signature drive to reopen the case, the investigation is still locked somewhere; now it’s more than 25 years!
Ruchika was a promising tennis player and 14 year old teenager when the incident took place. She lost her mother at a younger age. Her father worked in S. C. Girhotra, was a manager with UCO Bank and she had one younger brother Ashu. Rathore was on deputation to Bhakhra Beas Management Board as Director, Vigilance and Security, when he met Ruchika for the first time. He was the founding president of the Haryana Lawn Tennis Association, where Ruchika used to come and practise along with her friend Aradhna Prakash. Rathore's daughter, Priyanjali, was Ruchika's classmate and they studied at Sacred Heart School for Girls. She was studying in class 10.
On 11 August 1990, Rathore visited Ruchika's father and promised to give special training to Ruchika. He also asked Ruchika to meet him at office next day. The following day, she along with her friend Aradhna Prakash went to his office, actually a garage of his home. He sent Aradhna to bring the tennis coach. When she left the room he grabbed Ruchika and tried to molest her. When Aradhna returned she witnessed what’s going on. However Ruchika gathered enough strength to get out of the room. Rathore even ordered Aradhna to bring coach, which she didn’t take care off. The girls told about the incident to their parents only after Rathore asked them to meet him at office.
With the strong support of other parents of the same residence, Aradhna Prakash’s father Anand Prakash decided to take strong action against Rathod. They met Home Secretary J K Duggal to discuss about this matter. Later DGP Ram Rakshpal Singh investigated the case and submitted an inquiry report on 3 September 1990 recommending an FIR to be filed immediately against Rathore. But things took an ugly shape when Rathod influenced higher authorities and politicians and Ruchika didn’t get support. She was even expelled from her school stating that she has not remitted the fees. A magisterial inquiry later found that there were 135 students who have not paid the fees, including Rathod’s daughter, but Ruchika was the only person to be expelled from the school, that too against rules.
Later she and her family had to face a lot of harassments and her father too lost his job. Same was the case of her friend and the only witness – Aradhna. Ruchika later led a prison like life, as she was harassed by Rathod’s henchmen if she goes out. Many cases were registered against her father, brother and even Prakash, who stood in the front to move forward with the investigation. It was her extreme point of distress and suffocation, when her 14-year old was brother was arrested and tortured by police twice and was paraded in handcuffs in his locality on 28 December 1993.
When she consumed poison that night and met with fate, Rathore threw a party that night to celebrate. Anshu was brought to his home unconscious only after last rites were over. Her postmortem was forged and the government closed the case filed against Rathore less than a week after her death. Her family moved to Chandigarh. Rathore was promoted to additional DGP in November 1994. Bhajan Lal was serving as chief minister then.
Yet Anand Prakash kept on trying to reopen the case and he succeeded to get copy of the report after three years in 1997. On 21 August 1998, the High Court directed the CBI to conduct an inquiry. After a lot of turnarounds the final judgment came out in 2011.
Published: N/A
Updated: February 20, 2016
