Ruchika Molestation Case: SC Upholds Rathod’s Conviction But Reduces Jail Term [Read Judgment]

The Supreme Court on Friday, while upholding the conviction of former DGP of Haryana SPS Rathore in molestation case of tennis player Ruchika Girhotra, accorded relief to him by reducing his sentence from one and half years to the sentence already served.The Bench comprising Justice V Gopal Gowda and Justice RK Agrawal stated: “Keeping in view the aforementioned factors, especially the old. The Supreme Court on Friday, while upholding the conviction of former DGP of Haryana SPS Rathore in molestation case of tennis player Ruchika Girhotra, accorded relief to him by reducing his sentence from one and half years to the sentence already served. We, therefore, reduce the sentence of the appellant to the period already undergone by him as a special case considering his very advanced age.” The unfortunate event took place on August 20, 1990, when a minor and budding tennis player Ruchika Girhotra was allegedly molested by Rathore, then IGP with Haryana Police and president of the Haryana Lawn Tennis Association. Relying heavily on the testimony of Aradhana, Ruchika’s friend and dismissing all allegations that the accused was falsely implicated in the case because of personal rivalry, the court observed: ‘By the consistent evidence of Ms. Aradhana, the prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt the offence committed by the appellant under Section 354 of the IPC.