By IANS,
Chandigarh: S.C. Girhotra, father of molestation victim Ruchika, Tuesday said that his lawyer did not inform him about the hearing at Punjab and Haryana High Court here pertaining to a corruption case and therefore he “could not attend”.
The high court had issued a show cause notice to Girhotra Monday, asking him why his bail, granted in a corruption case Dec 16, 1994, should not be cancelled.
This notice was issued as despite repeated reminders of the high court neither Girhotra nor anyone else appeared before the court on his behalf.
“I did not have any wrong intentions and I cannot go against the law. But my lawyer did not inform me about the court hearings therefore I could not attend,” said Girhotra, while talking to reporters.
Girhotra also indirectly hinted towards the connivance of former Haryana police chief S.P.S. Rathore.
“Rathore is harassing us at various instances; he has made our life hell. We would also try to find out the reason why my lawyer did not inform me in time,” stated Girhotra.
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had booked Girhotra in a corruption case in 1983-84 and he was awarded one-year imprisonment by a CBI special court at Patiala Nov 15, 1994.
Following this, Girhotra challenged his conviction before the high court, which issued orders for suspension of his sentence and had held that bail granted by trial court to Girhotra for filing appeal would continue till the disposal of his appeal.
The next date of hearing is slated June 30 and Girhotra has been directed by the high court to submit his reply.
The CBI special court had 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.
Rathore was sentenced to six months’ rigorous imprisonment and slapped a fine of Rs.1,000. However, he was immediately granted bail.