Rathore defended school,cast aspersions on Ruchika’s father

In the note,Rathore cast aspersions on Ruchika’s father S C Grihotra and openly came out in the school’s defence.

Rathore’s reply to the questions,accessed by Newsline,indicates his anxiety to defend the school:

Was your daughter,Priyanjali Rathore,a student of Sacred Heart School,Sector 26,Chandigarh?
Rathore: Yes,Priyanjali had joined Sacred Heart School in 1984-85 in Class IV-A and continued till 10th Board examinations in March 1990-91.

In which class was your daughter studying in the year 1990-91?
Rathore: She was (studying) in Class X-B in the year 1990-91.

Did you submit a representation to the CBI/Haryana government in the year 1990 or anytime thereafter mentioning the expulsion of Ruchika Girhotra from Sacred Heart School?
Rathore: I don’t remember since it is a 19 years old matter. I have carefully checked (the) record connected with the trial,which was going on in Ambala and Patiala. No such letter or representation or document is available with me. Hence denied.

Did you ever contact or meet Sister Sebastina (principal)/any other official of Sacred Heart School,Sector 26,Chandigarh to influence/exert pressure on them to expel Ruchika Girhotra?
Rathore: I had gone to the school in the beginning (in 1984-85) when Priyanjali,my daughter,was to be admitted. I don’t remember who was the principal of Sacred Heart School at that time. Thereafter,I never went to the school or contacted anyone in the school. In fact,I don’t know anybody among the teaching faculty or the administrative staff of the school. There was no occasion for my going to the school since my daughter was a very brilliant student and so I never faced any problem relating to her studies in the school. I don’t know Sister Sebastina and have never met her or talked to her on the phone or contacted her about any matter.

The note

With his reply,the former DGP attached a note along with S C Girhotra’s handwritten statement against Rathore. Girhotra gave the statement during judicial proceedings in Ambala.

In the note,Rathore mentions: “I am not aware in what context the above questionnaire has been sent to me. But if this has any relation to print/electronic media reports where S C Girhotra has been quoted as saying that he was not allowed to deposit fees in the school because the authorities did not accept it under pressure of Rathore or Veena Girhotra who was his nurse/maid,then I may humbly point out that the question arises as to why S C Girhotra kept silent between 1990 and 2000,after the school refused to accept his fees.

“I may inform the administration that S C Girhotra,during the judicial proceedings in Ambala,has admitted that he goes to Surajpur temple every Monday,which is close to Chandigarh and he had all opportunity to complain. Why he kept quiet and did not report to the administration between 1990 and 2000? He also needs to answer why he did not represent to superior school authorities in Shimla?”

Defending the school,Rathore added,“Christian convent schools all over the country have the reputation of being fair and empathetic to their students and particularly give full hearing to the parents.

“In fact,the convent school (Sacred Heart) has had the reputation of being very strict and unapproachable by anyone regarding admissions,punctuality and discipline on its campus.”

School did not act impartially: inquiry report

* “…it is amply evident that the school authorities indulged in the contemptuous act of expelling Ruchika and did not act independently or impartially but under acute pressure.

* “…an irresistible conclusion may be drawn that the school authorities acted under some outside compelling influence in the arbitrary decision of singling out Ruchika…”

* “With regard to the allegation in the statement of S C Girhotra that the school authorities expelled Ruchika from the school at the behest of S P S Rathore,although no direct evidence is available,it is quite probable in view of the strong circumstantial evidence to the effect that Ruchika’s expulsion was proximate in time and followed close on the heels of the incident of molestation.”