December 30th, 2009Ruchika Girhotra and Public Opinion
The Hindustan Times on the front page carried the story of fresh FIRs being filed in the Ruchika Girhotra’s case. The second headline read: 19 Years later charges say Rathore hid evidence, tormented girl’s brother.
It’s not that CBI has had a change of heart or unearthed new evidence or been provided new facts to base its case against Rathore. So what’s changed in the last few weeks after the court pronounced a minor fine and a six month jail term for a person who had tormented a girl to commit suicide and drove her family away from their home in Panchkula.
The answer is in the third part of the same HT story in the box titled “When Public Pressure Worked”. It goes to list the cases of Jessica Lall, Nitish Katara and Priyadarshini Mattoo, who were initially denied justice as the culprits had political clout, money and power to subvert the judicial system. However, the public pressure that was Click to Read More




