The Supreme Court will pronounce on Friday its verdict on former Haryana DGP SPS Rathore’s appeal, challenging his conviction in the Ruchika molestation case. During the High Court hearing, the HC had extended Rathore’s six-month sentence to 18 months.
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Rathore had challenged his conviction and the enhanced jail term from six months to 18 months before the apex court.
Upholding the conviction of Rathore, a bench of Justice V. Gopala Gowda and Justice R.K. Agrawal modified the one-and-half years’ sentence handed down by a lower court to jail term he has already served “as a special case”, citing his advance age and ill health. The Supreme Court bench, which granted relief to Rathore, was headed by justice M B Lokur.
The incident relates to the 1990 case when he had molested a 14-year-old tennis player, who had later committed suicide.
While reducing his jail term, the court said: “Keeping in view the factors of old age and physical condition of the petitioner accused we don’t think it is expedient to put him back in jail”.
He had founded the Haryana Lawn Tennis Association in 1988.
Soon after she registered a complaint, Ruchika was expelled from her school – where Rathore’s daughter was her classmate – for “indiscipline”.
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Ruchika ended her life on 28 December, 1993, by consuming poison.
