The Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday summoned the special investigation team (SIT) head of Chandigarh Police probing alleged assault on Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath over a parking dispute outside a dhaba in Patiala by Punjab Police personnel on the night of March 13.
The high court bench of justice Rajesh Bhardwaj acted on the plea from Col Bath, who has filed a fresh petition alleging “reticence and reluctance” to impartially investigate the FIR by the SIT and has demanded that probe be withdrawn from it and entrusted to either senior officers of the Chandigarh Police or the Central Bureau of Investigation. During the hearing, the court orally slammed the SIT for the delay in probe. It added that the SIT’s conduct amounted to “setting the wrong example”.
Colonel Bath and his son were allegedly assaulted by four police inspectors and their armed subordinates when they were at a roadside eatery near Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala. His family said the duo was standing outside their car and having food when the policemen in civvies approached them and asked the colonel to move his vehicle so that they could park theirs. When the colonel objected to their rude tone, one of the police officers punched him, and soon the other policemen started thrashing him and his son. The colonel’s arm was broken, and his son suffered a cut on his head. The case was handed over to Chandigarh Police by the high court on April 3, acting on the plea from the Colonel.
The plea levels allegations against the present SIT and questions the manner it is proceeding. It alleges the petitioner was summoned multiple times but accused only once. It said the digital video recorder (DVR) of the dhaba adjoining Harbans Dhaba, where the incident had taken place, which too had captured the complete incident, has gone missing; but till date no serious attempt has been made by the investigating agency to retrieve the same.
{{/usCountry}}The plea levels allegations against the present SIT and questions the manner it is proceeding. It alleges the petitioner was summoned multiple times but accused only once. It said the digital video recorder (DVR) of the dhaba adjoining Harbans Dhaba, where the incident had taken place, which too had captured the complete incident, has gone missing; but till date no serious attempt has been made by the investigating agency to retrieve the same.
{{/usCountry}}“It is being stated with utmost disappointment that despite lapse of more than three and a half months of the registration of the FIR and lapse of three months since the probe has been handed over to Chandigarh Police, neither a single accused has been arrested nor any accused associated with the investigation,” the plea said, adding the contention of the petitioner regarding any conscious effort on the part of the investigating agency can be cemented from the fact that no non-bailable warrant, no PO or any other legal proceeding which would be indicative of some conscious and sincere effort, has been initiated on the part of the investigating agency.
Appearing for the Chandigarh Police, UT’s counsel Manish Bansal had submitted that the investigation is being carried out in a free and fair manner.
However, the court was not convinced with the argument given the allegations that after the dismissal of the anticipatory bail of one of the accused by the high court, no requisite action has been taken by the SIT against the accused.
“Let, Manjeet, UT superintendent of police (headquarters and intelligence), to whom the investigation of the FIR was entrusted with, be present in court along with the record to apprise the court about the status of the investigation as on date,” the bench ordered while fixing the next date of hearing for July 16.