Panchkula (Haryana), Jan 5 - It could be "appropriate justice" at last, said a relieved Aradhana Tuesday as a prolonged legal battle was infused with new energy with former Haryana police chief S. P. S. Rathore being charged with abetting the suicide of her friend Ruchika Girhotra in 1993.

Police in Panchkula filed a fresh case against Rathore Tuesday. He was charged under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code of abetting the suicide of teenager Ruchika Girhotra, who killed herself in 1993, three years after he molested her.

The first information report (FIR) has been registered against the former director general of police (DGP) Rathore, confirmed Panchkula police chief Maneesh Chaudhary.

"I am very happy that Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has kept his promise and an FIR under section 306 has been registered against Rathore. Now Rathore's influence is diminishing very fast and we are sure of appropriate justice ahead," Aradhana, the lone eyewitness in the case, told IANS.

"I wanted this FIR against Rathore since last 16 years. Now we want the investigating agencies to complete their probe in a time-bound manner so that there should be no further delay in this case."

Rathore was held guilty by a special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Chandigarh Dec 21 of molesting 15-year-old Ruchika in Panchkula town on Aug 12, 1990. He was sentenced to six months in prison and Rs. 1,000 fine. He was immediately released on bail.

But the tide could be turning.

"Now nobody can save Rathore from a rigorous punishment, we all want to see him behind bars at the earliest. He and his wife have fabricated false evidence and documents and we are ready to counter all of them in court," Aradhana's father Anand Prakash, who has been waging a relentless legal battle on behalf of Ruchika and her family, told IANS.

"After this fresh FIR, we are confident of winning this legal battle. Now we have support from all sections of the society and we are ready to go up to any extent to ensure justice for Ruchika's family," he added.

His wife Madhu Prakash added: "We are happy with this move. Stripping of medals followed by fresh FIR today have enthused new energy in us to fight this case. Now we are cent percent sure that this case will soon reach a logical end."

Rathore was last week booked by the Panchkula police in two different cases, charging him of attempt to murder, forging and tampering with evidence of Ruchika's death, criminal conspiracy and wrongful confinement. Most of the charges slapped against him in both FIRs are non-bailable ones.

The complaints for the two FIRs were made by Ruchika's father S. C. Girhotra and brother Ashu.

On Friday, Rathore managed to secure interim relief on his anticipatory bail application from the district and sessions court here till Jan 7, when his bail plea in these two cases comes up for hearing again. (IANS)