The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Punjab government to provide an explanation within two days regarding the delay in registering an FIR in the assault case involving Army officer Colonel Pushpinder Bath.
The court also sought clarification on the handling of a separate complaint by a police official who claimed to have sustained injuries in the same incident.
Justice Sandeep Moudgil issued a notice of motion to both the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Punjab government in response to Colonel Bath’s plea. The directive adds to the mounting scrutiny over the handling of the case by state authorities.
In the wake of the incident, the Punjab Police took disciplinary action against 12 personnel from the Patiala unit, including three inspectors, for their alleged involvement in the assault. The officers suspended include Inspectors Harry Boparai, Ronnie Singh, and Harjinder Dhillon, along with nine other police personnel and gunmen attached to them.
Four days after the alleged assault, the Patiala police publicly apologized to the Army, assuring stringent action against those responsible.
Colonel Pushpinder Bath, currently stationed at the Army headquarters in New Delhi, reported that he and his son, Angad Singh, were brutally attacked by policemen on the night of March 13. The two are currently receiving treatment at the Military Hospital for multiple injuries.
Angad Singh recounted the attack, stating, "It was a brutal assault. My father suffered a fractured left arm along with multiple injuries inflicted with blunt weapons. I tried to intervene, but over ten police officers pounced on me, causing severe injuries."
Also Read: Patiala: Assaulted Col's wife, ex-servicemen stage protest
Jaswinder Bath, wife of Colonel Bath, detailed the sequence of events leading to the attack. She stated that her husband and son were outside their car at a roadside dhaba near Rajindra Hospital when police personnel arrived and demanded that the Colonel move his vehicle.
"When my husband objected to their tone, one of the officers punched him. The situation escalated quickly, and they brutally beat my husband and son," she alleged.
However, one of the suspended officers countered these claims, asserting that it was Colonel Bath and his son who first initiated the altercation. "They were consuming alcohol in the open. When we confronted them, they attacked us first," he alleged.
Supporting this claim, dhaba owner Karan, who was reportedly present during the incident, stated, "The Colonel and his son had ordered food and were drinking from glasses kept on their car. Two more vehicles arrived later, and a scuffle ensued between the two groups over parking."
With conflicting accounts from both sides, the case has gained significant attention, prompting judicial intervention.
The High Court’s directive for an explanation from the Punjab government, coupled with the involvement of the CBI, signals escalating legal consequences. The coming days will be crucial in determining how the Punjab administration navigates this contentious case.
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