The Indian Army called for a swift, fair, and transparent probe into the assault on Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath by 12 Punjab Police personnel over a parking dispute. The incident occurred in Patiala on the intervening night of March 13-14.
"We reiterate the need for a fair and honest investigation in a transparent and a very time-bound manner to punish the guilty and restore the faith in the system," Lt Gen Mohit Wadhwa, Chief of Staff, Army Western Command headquarters Chandimandir, said at a joint media briefing with Punjab's Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav.
Lt. Gen Wadhwa said the guilty police personnel should be punished in a timely and exemplary manner so that the incident does not vitiate the atmosphere and affect the long cherished bonhomie between the Punjab Police and serving and retired Army personnel.
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"The matter was very strongly taken up with the highest echelons of the state administration and Punjab police for prompt investigation and delivery of justice," Wadhwa said.
Assaulted Army Colonel seeks CBI probe
{{/usCountry}}"The matter was very strongly taken up with the highest echelons of the state administration and Punjab police for prompt investigation and delivery of justice," Wadhwa said.
Assaulted Army Colonel seeks CBI probe
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, Colonel Bath, seeking justice for himself and his son, filed a plea in the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking a transfer of the probe to the CBI or another independent agency.
In his petition, Colonel Bath claimed that a fair investigation was impossible under the Punjab Police due to possible biases.
According to PTI, Colonel Bath, a serving officer of the Indian Army, was reportedly "brutally" attacked by the police officers outside a dhaba in Patiala. He suffered an arm injury in the attack.
The incident sparked condemnation from both the Army and the Punjab Police.
The Army was informed about the incident on March 15 following which the officer was shifted from the civil hospital to the military hospital and underwent treatment at Chandimandir at the Command hospital and is presently recovering from his injuries, PTI reported citing Lt Gen Mohit Wadhwa.
Punjab Police forms SIT
The Punjab Police also registered a fresh FIR based on Bath's statement last week following which a high-level special investigation team has been set up to conduct the investigation in a "fair and expeditious manner".
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The probe is now being undertaken by the Special Investigation Team under the Additional Director General of Police and is to be completed in the earliest possible time frame.
All 12 personnel have been placed under suspension, and departmental proceedings for major punishment have been initiated against them.
The SIT has been directed to conclude the investigation at the earliest, Punjab's Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav stated.