Karat Raises Ruchika Case in RS as Friends Seek Public Support for Justice
With justice being delivered quite late in the Ruchika molestation case, CPM leader Brinda Karat has said that the legal system has ‘infirmities’ and it should be reformed so that timely justice can be given to those seeking it. In the meantime, those who fought for the victim wants the case to be reopened and has sought public support for it because accused has been sentenced to only six months in jail.
Speaking during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Karat said that the accused, former DGP of Haryana SPS Rathore, continued to be rewarded with promotions, even as the girl suffered.
“Our judicial system has infirmities… The culprit was rewarded with promotions even as Ruchika’s brother was beaten up and false cases were registered against him. It was the courage of Ruchika’s friend Aradhana and Aradhana’s parents who took the case forward and refused to cow down under pressure,” Karat said.
Karat appealed to the law and home minister to reform the judicial system for fast delivery of justice and requested the government to give a reward to the family of Ruchika’s friend Aradhana and her parents, who fought for justice on behalf of the girl.
Ruchika, 14-year-old budding tennis player of 1990, had committed suicide in 1993 after being frustrated by delayed justice and alleged harrassment of her family by the authorities.
In the meanwhile, Aradhana, angry with Monday’s verdict, vowed to do more battle.
“We are disappointed…we expected more…six months will not serve the purpose,” she said.
She said that the battle for justice that she and her parents have waged over almost two decades has been a tough one. She accused Rathore of instigating false cases against her family and her.
Aradhana’s parents, Anand and Madhu Prakash, said that they now want people to rally behind them and work to re-open the case as it was done in the Priyadarshani Mattoo and Jessica Lal cases.
“The punishment was too little and too late,” they say, noting with some satisfaction that the issue was raised in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
