Former Haryana DGP SPS Rathore, against whom serious charges have been brought in the Ruchika molestation case, today got temporary reprieve when he was granted interim bail till January 7 by a local court. The order was passed by Panchkula District and Sessions Judge S P Singh after hearing Abha Rathore, the lawyer-wife of 67-year-old Rathore, following registration of fresh FIRs by Ruchika's family.<br/><br/>The new FIRs accused the former IPS officer of attempting to murder Ruchika's brother Ashu and doctoring her post- mortem report. While issuing notice to the state for a reply on January 6, the Judge directed Rathore not to leave the country without the permission of the court. The interim bail, the judge said, shall remain in force till January 7 when the case will come up for further hearing.<br/><br/>Rathore was not present in the court. In its three-page order, the court also directed Rathore to make himself available for investigation in connection with the two cases if the police asked him to join the probe.<br/><br/>Abha Rathore argued before the judge that Ruchika's father, Subhash Chander Girhotra, Ashu and the family of Madhu Prakash, the complainant in the molestation case, want to become heroes in the eyes of the public. She alleged that the facts had been fabricated and interpolated. On the other hand, Pankaj Bhardwaj, lawyer for Ruchika's family, expressed the hope that he will be able to expose the truth on the next date of hearing.<br/><br/>Asked whether the development was a set back to the case against Rathore, he said, so far they have not got any opportunity to present the case.