Was beaten by police in presence of Rathore: Ruchika's brother

NEW DELHI: In a chilling account of the days when Haryana police officials in connivance with former state DGP S P S Rathore targeted Ruchika Girotra's family, her brother Ashu had said that he was mercilessly beaten inside a police station in the presence of senior police official.

"They tortured me. My hands were tied on my back and I was made to bend. My feet was tied with a weight. I was kept in this position for 10-15 minutes," Ashu, who was about 20 years old at that time said in his statement before the sessions court of Patiala on September 3, 2002, which have been accessed by PTI.

Ashu submitted before the court that when it became unbearable for him he started crying and was brought down by the policemen, who kept abusing him in the process.

"After some time S P S Rathore also came there and sat down. He asked the police officials as to whether they have served (punished) me. They told Rathore that they will still torture me more," he informed the court.

He was giving an account of what happened inside the CIA police post in Mansa Devi where he was kept after being picked up by plain clothes men on October 23, 1993.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court, taking a suo-motu action, had directed the sessions court to inquire into the allegations made by Ashu before it. The statement was recorded by the sessions court as part of the inquiry.