Rathore goof-up: Administration terms it clerical mistake

CHANDIGARH: Caught on the wrong foot after former Haryana DGP SPS Rathore, convicted for molesting a minor, shared the dais during the Republic Day celebrations, the Panchkula district administration has now termed it as a clerical mistake to send invitation to the former cop.
Sources in the district administration said 950 persons, included former IAS, IPS officers, were invited at the function. The officials, however, had no answer as to how Rathore could share the dais with Vivek Joshi, divisional commissioner, Ambala division, who was the chief guest of the occasion.

"All the seats on the stage were allocated and slips were pasted. We don't know as to how he (Rathore) occupied the seat and shared the dais. We shall scan the videos of the entire event," said an official of the administration.

The administration is now verifying the list of guests sent since 2009, when Rathore was convicted by the court. The officials are also trying to ascertain since when he had been sent invites.

Meanwhile, the family of Anand Prakash, the Panchkula resident, who fought the 26-year-long battle on the behalf of the family of Ruchika Girhotra, asked chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who heads the home department, to tender an apology for this human wrong committed by the Panchkula administration.

"We don't believe that anybody living in Panchkula or the country was not aware about the wrong Rathore did. Everybody was aware about his conviction. Hence, this cannot be a clerical mistake. Whomsoever committed this wrong should be punished and CM Khattar must come out with a deadline to probe this wrong," said Aaradhna Gupta, Ruchika's classmate and daughter of Anand Parkash.

"This was a cruel joke on the part of the government, especially when it says a lot about the honour of daughters. Now, the government must tender an apology," she said.

Panchkula DC Gauri Parashar and city magistrate Mamta Sharma are on leave, while ADC Mukul Kumar, officiating as DC Panchkula, remained inaccessible for comments.

Amit Arya, media adviser to CM, said, "Yes it was a mistake. The CM has already ordered a probe into the matter and we must wait for the report. We are hopeful that this issue will be resolved soon," said Arya.