Three-member SIT to probe thrashing of Army officer

The police on Friday registered a fresh FIR in the assault case of an Army Colonel and his son, and constituted a three-member special investigation team to probe the incident that took place on March 13 night.

The FIR was lodged on the complaint of Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath that was recorded a day after the incident. Earlier, the police had lodged a case on the complaint of his wife. It did not mention the accused’s name.

The statement of the Colonel names the police officials who assaulted him. The Army officer was allegedly thrashed by 12 police personnel over a parking dispute.

The SIT constituted by the state police will be headed by SPS Parmar, Additional Director General of Police, Law and Order.

It includes Sandeep Malik, Senior Superintendent of Police, Hoshiarpur; and Manpreet Singh, Superintendent of Police, SAS Nagar (Rural).

The SIT has been directed to conduct the investigation on a day-to-day basis. A Punjab Police spokesperson said the DIG, Patiala Range, had been asked to immediately transfer the accused police officers out Patiala so that investigation can be conducted in a fair manner.

The spokesperson further added that all accused had been suspended and departmental proceedings for a major punishment been initiated against them. The Additional Director General of Police, Security, has been directed to provide adequate protection to the family of Colonel Bath.

Family seeks CBI investigation

Colonel’s wife Jaswinder Kaur Bath made public a video showing four police inspectors admitting responsibility for the attack and seeking forgiveness for it

Speaking to the media here, she accused Punjab Police officials of intimidation and cover-up attempts and demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the incident.

“They apologised in the presence of the SSP but when I refused to compromise after the brutal beating of my husband and son, they resorted to threats,” she alleged.