Dec. 22: Parliament today praised the tenacity of Ruchika Girhotra’s friend in getting justice for the molested teenager who committed suicide, as the crusaders themselves thanked an ex-chief minister for a probe that indicted former Haryana top cop S.P.S. Rathore.

Raising the matter in the Rajya Sabha, the CPM’s Brinda Karat appealed to the Union law and home ministers to reward “brave” Aradhana and her parents, Anand and Madhu Prakash, as a mark of recognition.

Rathore was sentenced to six months in jail by a Chandigarh court yesterday for the August 12, 1990, crime. He was an IG then but went on to become the state police chief despite the allegations.

“It is not anybody else but Anand and Madhu Prakash and their brave daughter Aradhana who stood 19 years as witness,” Karat said.

Her statement came amid a clamour in the House against the light punishment awarded to Rathore and the way he was promoted by successive Haryana governments while the case went on. Information and broadcasting minister and Congress leader Ambika Soni later said Rathore shouldn’t have been promoted.

Women’s panel chief Girija Vyas said: “We are not happy he (Rathore) got just six months and it (the verdict) took so long. But at least something has happened.”

In Chandigarh, Aradhana’s father thanked former chief minister Hukam Singh of the Janata Party for having initiated an inquiry that had indicted Rathore. “The report holding Rathore guilty was handed to then home minister Sampat Singh, who took no action. Had it not been for that inquiry, Ruchika’s case would not have come this far,” Prakash said.

Singh lamented the delay. “I did everything in my power to ensure justice. But I did not stay long as chief minister,” said Singh. Sampat, who crossed over from the Indian National Lok Dal to the Congress before the state polls this October, could not be contacted.