Home Secy who sought medal for Rathore is in Chautala’s party

But Chautala today denied he had anything to do with the 1999 recommendation. “I did not recommend him for the medal. That was done as part of routine work by officers. The issue did not come to my notice,” he told reporters.

As reported by The Indian Express today,the Centre is actively exploring whether it can strip Rathore of his 1985 Police Medal for Meritorious Services.

Records show that the Haryana proposal for the Distinguished Service medal in 1999 gave Rathore a clean chit on integrity and concealed the fact that he had a case of molestation against him. It was only when the Intelligence Bureau told the Home Ministry that Rathore was an accused that the recommendation was rejected.

Chautala refuted the charge that he had shielded Rathore,claiming he had taken action against the officer who was promoted by other governments.

“We took strong action against him. During my government,we instituted a departmental inquiry against him. In my tenure later,we suspended him from the post of DGP as he was facing a chargesheet in the case. He (Rathore) was promoted to the post of ADGP and DGP during the governments of Bhajan Lal and Bansi Lal. They should be blamed for the promotion,” he told reporters in New Delhi.

S C Girhotra,Ruchika’s father,had accused Chautala of shielding Rathore who,19 years after the incident,was sentenced to imprisonment for six months. Ruchika had committed suicide in 1993.