New Delhi: The Government is all set to
initiate the process of reducing the pension of former Haryana
DGP S P S Rathore, convicted in the Ruchika molestation case,
next week even if he did not reply to the show-cause notice
served on him.
Rathore, who was served with a show-cause notice asking
why his pension should not be reduced for allegedly abusing
power and bringing disrepute to the police service, has sent
an acknowledgement of the notice but no reply.
"He has time till first week of February to reply to the
show cause notice. But, even if he does not reply to the
notice, we will start the process of reducing his pension," a
Home Ministry official said.
As part of the exercise, after taking a view on how much
Rathore`s pension should be reduced -- fully or partly -- the
Home Ministry will seek opinion from the Union Public Service
Commission on the issue as part of the rules.
"Following UPSC`s opinion, we can go ahead with our
decision," the official said.
The show cause notice, stating his conduct was allegedly
unbecoming of a police officer, was served on Rathore on
December 26, 2009. A reminder of the notice was also served on
January 19.
The disgraced police officer has been sentenced by a
court to six months jail for molesting 14-year-old Ruchika
nearly 19 years ago.
With the light sentence awarded to him creating an
uproar, the Central Police Awards Committee (CPAC), headed by
Union Home Secretary Gopal K Pillai, on January 4 had
recommended to the President for the withdrawal of police
medal given to Rathore.
Rathore, a 1965-batch IPS officer who retired in 2002,
was awarded the Police Medal for Meritorious service on August
15, 1985.
Ruchika, a budding tennis player, was molested in 1990 by
Rathore, the then Inspector General of Police. She committed
suicide three years later by consuming poison.
She was also expelled from school and false cases were
slapped against her brother, her family said.
PTI
