Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has ordered the Punjab government to explain why there was a delay in filing a police report about an attack on an army colonel. Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath, the army officer who said that 12 Punjab Police officers assaulted him and his son over a parking argument, asked the court to move the investigation to a different agency, like the CBI, because he believes the Punjab Police can’t do a fair job.
In court, Colonel Bath’s lawyer, Deepinder Singh Virk, shared that the court wants specific answers. For example, they want to know which police officers were at the scene when the attack happened and why they didn’t file a report immediately. Colonel Bath’s family informed the police right after the attack, but it took eight days for them to register an official complaint.
The colonel claims that the police who attacked him included four high-ranking officers and their subordinates. He stated that they took his ID card and phone and even threatened him in a public place, where CCTV cameras were recording. Even though it was a serious incident, the local police didn’t act properly. Instead, they supposedly filed a false complaint against unknown persons based on a different complaint, ignoring Colonel Bath’s story.
To ensure a fair investigation, the colonel requested the case be handed over to a more reliable agency so that justice can be served. His family had to go all the way to senior police officers and even the Punjab governor before getting a proper report filed.
After the attack, Colonel Bath had a broken arm, and his son was injured as well. Recently, a new police report based on Colonel Bath’s story was finally filed, and a special investigation team is now handling the case. The implicated police officers have been suspended and are facing disciplinary action. On March 31, the chief minister will meet with Colonel Bath’s family to discuss their concerns, following their protest.
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