PIL against School for Expelling Ruchika

A public interest litigation (PIL) has been moved against Sacred Heart School based in Chandigarh, which Ruchika Girhotra attended.

It may be mentioned that the school had expelled the budding tennis player on the grounds that she had not paid her fees in time, the point with which her family was not convinced. Her expulsion came following her accusation that former Haryana DGP SPS Rathore, IG at that point of time, molested her.

Lashing out at the ex-police official, Ruchika’s father Subhash Girhotra said on Sunday that he used his power to get Ruchika expelled from her school.

Girhotra said: “Rathore used his influence. One day the Principal called me and told that we are removing her from the school. Don’t send her to school any more.”

“The school authorities did not give us any substantial reason behind her sudden expulsion from the school. They cited some late fees related issue as a reason behind this, which was totally baseless,” he added.

Ranjan Lakhanpal, senior advocate, earlier said that they will file a case in the Ruchika molestation case against everybody involved, including her school fro expelling her.

“We will be seeking action against the school also as to why she was expelled, what were the reasons, and under whose pressure it was done,” Lakhanpal had said.

Ruchika studied in class ten when Rathore molested her in 1990. Inspector General of Police then, Rathore also headed the Haryana Lawn Tennis Federation.

Ruchika committed suicide consuming poison three years later.

Geetanjali Giyatri, Ruchika’s classmate and a former student of Sacred Heart said, “We had heard that she was going abroad and we thought she had gone abroad after the incident, that’s why she was not showing up. We had also heard that she had left school, that’s it.”

The school is silent on the whole issue and is least interested in talking about reasons for expelling Ruchika.