Panchkula (Haryana), Dec 31 - The district and sessions court here Thursday rejected a plea of Abha Rathore, wife and counsel of disgraced former Haryana top cop S. P. S. Rathore convicted in the Ruchika Girhotra molestation case, for early hearing of his anticipatory bail application.

She wanted the hearing to take place Thursday itself instead of Friday.

Sessions judge S. P. Singh rejected the plea of Abha Rathore, who reached the court here Thursday afternoon with all documents sought by the court during the hearing Wednesday.

Fearing arrest of Rathore, against whom the Panchkula police have already registered two fresh cases, including that of attempt to murder Ruchika's brother, his counsel sought the advancement of the bail hearing but the judge refused that.

The court Wednesday refused to give interim bail to Rathore though his anticipatory bail plea will be heard Friday.

The Panchkula police can arrest Rathore any time since he has been booked under several non-bailable sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

A special investigation team (SIT) has already been set up by the Haryana police to probe the fresh cases against Rathore.

Ruchika, a budding tennis player, had committed suicide Dec 1993, three years after her molestation by Rathore Aug 12, 1990. (IANS)