Court reserves orders in Ruchika case

AMBALA, DEC. 2. The special CBI designated court today reserved orders till Dec. 5 on the CBI application for condoning the delay in filing the charge-sheet against the Haryana Director-General of Police, Mr. SPS. Rathore, in the decade-old Ruchika molestation case.

The Chief Judicial Magistrate, Mr. A. K. Tyagi, took the step after counsel for the two parties concluded their arguments.

Earlier, Mr. Dinesh Mathur, counsel for Mr. Rathore, argued that the case against his client was time-barred. He said the delay in starting the investigations and in taking cognisance were two different subjects. Since Ruchika was dead, his client had lost his right to cross examine her. He also claimed that Mr Rathore was having to face a trial by media.

The defendent's counsel said while deciding on condonation of the delay under Sec. 473 of the Cr PC, the court had to consider the facts and circumstances of the case.

In his reply, the counsel for the CBI, Mr. Chandresh Sahai, said the issue of delay was also stated before the Punjab and Haryana high court and the supreme court by the accused. But the courts had ordered the CBI to investigate the case. Hence the trial court should condone the delay in the interest of justice.

The magistrate observed that the media should report objectively and not make any subjective assessment as to the guilt or Innocence of the accused.

The CBI has filed its chargesheet against Mr. Rathore under Section 364 of the IPC on November 16. According to the chargesheet, Ruchika, a tennis player and minor at that time, was allegedly molested by Mr. Rathore in 1990.

- UNI

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