The case sparked outrage among ex-servicemen, Army veterans, and the public, leading to demands for accountability and justice. (File photo)
A departmental inquiry against Punjab Police personnel, accused of allegedly assaulting a serving Army officer over a car parking issue, has recommendation action ranging from three years’ deduction in service and denial of increments and promotions for the same time period to four inspectors and two others, it has been learnt.
The inquiry was conducted by the Senior Superintendent of Police, Patiala, into the incident that took place on the intervening night of March 13 and 14, when Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath and his son were having food at a roadside dhaba near Government Rajindra Hospital in the district. Colonel Bath, on deputation with a central agency and his son, Angad Singh Bath, were allegedly assaulted by 12 Punjab Police personnel, including four inspectors. The incident resulted in severe injuries, including a dislocated arm for Colonel Bath and a fractured nose for his son. Colonel Bath had accused the police personnel of assaulting him and his son over a parking dispute and sought a transfer of the probe to an independent agency, preferably the CBI.
He alleged that the assailants — four inspector-rank officers of the Punjab Police and their armed subordinates — attacked him and his son without provocation, snatched his ID card and mobile phone, and threatened him with a “fake encounter”, all in public view and under CCTV camera coverage.
The case sparked outrage among ex-servicemen, Army veterans, and the public, leading to demands for accountability and justice. Later, the Punjab Police suspended the 12 police personnel and also initiated a departmental inquiry. The Patiala SSP has submitted the inquiry report to his superior officers and a show cause notice has been issued to the four inspectors and two other police personnel whose names and ranks have not been disclosed by the police department.
It has been recommended that three years of service of six police personnel be deducted, besides they be denied increment and promotion for three years. It recommends that the suspension of these officers will continue, and they will remain posted out of Patiala. The inspectors were attached to Bathinda and Ludhiana Police Ranges when they rejoined duty after remaining absconding for several months during which time Patiala Police failed to arrest them. The Punjab Police on March 17 had suspending 12 implicated police officers, including inspectors Harry Boparai, Ronnie Singh, Harjinder Dhillon, and Shaminder Singh, along with assistant sub-inspectors, head constables, and constables.
A departmental inquiry was ordered by then Patiala SSP Nanak Singh to investigate the allegations against these officers. The inquiry was initially assigned to Patiala SP (Headquarters) Harwant Kaur, with a directive to complete the probe within 45 days. The inquiry aimed to examine the conduct of the accused personnel, who were reported to be in civilian clothes and allegedly intoxicated during the incident. The family claimed the officers used abusive language, physically assaulted Colonel Bath and his son with baseball bats and sharp-edged weapons, and confiscated the Colonel’s government ID card and mobile phone. The inquiry was intended to establish the facts, assess violations of police conduct, and recommend appropriate disciplinary measures.
In addition to the departmental inquiry, other probes were initiated which include a magisterial probe ordered by the Punjab Home department on March 20 and led by IAS officer Paramvir Singh. This probe was rejected by the Bath family, who demanded a CBI inquiry.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was also formed on March 21 under ADGP SPS Parmar and later led by ADGP AS Rai. However, the family expressed distrust in the SIT’s impartiality.
The departmental inquiry faced several challenges with the Bath family accusing then SSP Nanak Singh of delaying the FIR registration, which was only filed on March 21 based on Colonel Bath’s statement, instead of the initial FIR based on the dhaba owner’s account.
The names of all 12 suspended officers were not initially disclosed, fueling allegations of police shielding certain personnel, particularly those with accolades as “encounter specialists.”
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on July 16 had transferred the investigation into the case to the CBI. The CBI on July 25, re-registered two FIRs filed by the civil lines police station Patiala as its own separate cases, with one from Colonel Bath’s side and the other from the dhaba owner in Patiala. The FIRs were filed under various provisions of the BNS, which also include the charge of attempt to commit murder.