By IANS,
Chandigarh : A local court Friday adjourned the hearing on former Haryana police chief S.P.S. Rathore’s plea, challenging his conviction for molesting teenager Ruchika Girhotra, to May 3 after hearing his lawyers’ arguments.
A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) plea for enhancement of Rathore’s sentence is also pending before the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Gurbir Singh.
The judge heard the arguments for over five hours before adjourning the matter to May 3, when the court will hear the case day to day.
However, like the last hearing Thursday, the entire media was directed to remain outside the courtroom on the request of Rathore’s counsel.
“Since Thursday, (Rathore’s wife and lawyer) Abha Rathore and another lawyer are putting forward their evidence and records before the court. So far there was no cross argument,” Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) lawyer C.S. Sharma told reporters.
“Now the court will take up the hearing continuously on day to day basis from May 3,” he added.
A special CBI court held Rathore guilty in December last year of molesting 15-year-old Ruchika in Panchkula town in August 1990. She committed suicide three years later.
He was sentenced to six months’ rigorous imprisonment and slapped a fine of Rs.1000. However, he was immediately granted bail.
Rathore, who came to the court amidst tight security cover, was accompanied by his wife and counsel, Abha Rathore.
Complainant Anand Parkash, his wife Madhu Parkash and their lawyer Pankaj Bhardwaj were also present inside the courtroom.
“Today (Friday) Abha Rathore read out the statements of Aradhana (the only eye-witness in this case) and S.C. Girhotra (father of Ruchika) before the judge. She wrongly tried to highlight the discrepancies in their statements,” Madhu Parkash told reporters after the hearing.
The court had earlier March 10 adjourned this case till April 15 after Rathore told the court that his counsel was recovering from an injury.
The case, to be heard Feb 8, was postponed by the court following a knife attack on Rathore and his lawyer by a student, Utsav Sharma.