The father of molestation victim Ruchika welcomed the slapping of fresh abetment to suicide charge on former Haryana director general of police S P S Rathore as a "step in the right direction" and thanked Home Minister P Chidambaram for "taking corrective measures" in the case on Tuesday.
Subhash Chander Girhotra, however, rued that despite revival of the charge under section 306 of the Indian Penal Code, the disgraced former top cop was yet to be taken into custody, saying he felt the Haryana police was still not serious about arresting him.
"We are happy, this is the first step in the right direction," he said reacting to the filing of the third fresh First Information Report against Rathore on complaint of Ruchika's brother Ashu.
Girhotra said the family was "specially thankful" to Home Minister Chidambaram for taking "corrective measures" pertaining to the case.
"If such a person was the home minister then, my daughter would have been alive today," he told journalists.
On whether he was hopeful that Rathore would now be arrested, he said, "I hope so, this should follow, he is a menace to the society.
"If such a charge (abetment to suicide) was filed against a common person, he would have been immediately arrested. I don't think the Haryana police is serious to arrest him."
Girhotra said he was hopeful the system would finally deliver justice to his family.
"We are now hopeful the Central Bureau of Investigation will take right steps" and the trial would be conducted in the right direction, he said.
Girhotra alleged the Sacred Heart School in Chandigarh had expelled Ruchika without assigning any reason.
"When I went to deposit the fees with fine for late payment, the nun counted the notes and even checked my fee book.
"But, then she asked me to meet Principal Sebstina (who is also the school's present principal). The principal told me that I should withdraw my ward from the school," he said.
"She said Rathore's daughter was also studying in the same class and there was pressure from him since he did not want to face any embarrassing situation... We were not given any rustification certificate," Girhotra said.
He alleged Rathore had shown no remorse for his action the day he was sentenced to six-month jail term by the court for molesting Ruchika.
Welcoming the decision to strip Rathore of his Police Medal, he said his pension should also be stopped.
Girhotra denied allegations that he had remarried and that Ruchika had been upset because her brother had fallen in bad company.
"There is no truth in these stories. Abha Rathore (the former DGP's lawyer-wife) is speaking lies. Let her produce the woman. We will certainly expose her lies before the court," he said.
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