New FIRs make molester DGP’s arrest imminent

CHANDIGARH: The law is catching up with the molester DGP, S P S Rathore. He is likely to be arrested soon, possibly as early as Wednesday, by the Panchkula police on the basis of two complaints filed against him by Ruchika’s father, Subhash Girhotra, and her brother, Ashu, on Tuesday, which were promptly converted into FIRs by the police.

There is poetic justice in Rathore’s imminent arrest. Tuesday was the 16th anniversary of Ruchika’s death. Nineteen years after he molested Ruchika, then just 14, and then intimidated and harassed the Girhotra family leading to Ruchika’s suicide three years later, the family finally mustered the courage on this grim anniversary to strike back and file complaints against the retired top cop.

The charges in the FIRs are serious non-bailable offences — attempt to murder, assault, illegal confinement and forging documents. ‘‘ We have registered two FIRs and informed Ruchika’s family members. Investigation is on and we are checking the complaints made against Rathore before proceeding to arrest him,’’ said Panchkula superintendent of police Maneesh Chaudhary.

Now, a fugitive ‘rapist’ top cop in Rajasthan?

Emboldened by the justice-for-Ruchika cry, a tribal woman claimed she was raped by Rajasthan DIG Madhukar Tandon at his Noida residence on January 21, 1997, and has been on the run since. On Tuesday, the victim, a resident of Bandikui village in Dausa district, staged a dharna near CM Ashok Gehlot’s residence, demanding justice.