HC directs CBI to take over probe into Colonel's assault allegations against Punjab Police

Chandigarh, July 16 (IANS) The Punjab and Haryana High Court, on Wednesday, directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take over the probe into a Colonel's assault allegations against the Punjab Police.

Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath was seeking an independent probe into the matter, preferrably by the CBI, on the ground that the Chandigarh Police had failed to conduct "fair and free investigation".

The High Court noted the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Chandigarh Police entrusted to probe the case of assault of Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath by Punjab Police personnel was "creating loopholes to give benefit of doubt to accused police officers".

The bench of Justice Rajesh Bhardwaj said the Chandigarh Police had failed to conduct a fair and impartial investigation.

The court was earlier told that all the five accused, four of them police inspectors, are absconding and no non-bailable warrants have been issued against them.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the investigation conducted by the SIT, Justice Rajesh Bhardwaj directed to transfer the case to CBI.

Earlier, Justice Bhardwaj reprimanded the Chandigarh Police for its failure to arrest Punjab Police personnel allegedly involved in the assault.

Describing the delay as intentional, he had asserted that the conduct of the police amounted to "setting the wrong example” and protecting the accused.

In April, the High Court directed the Chandigarh Police to investigate the case within four months.

The Army officer was allegedly assaulted by 12 Punjab Police personnel in Patiala over a parking dispute.

Colonel Bath, who was posted at the Army headquarters in New Delhi, alleged that on the night of March 13, four Inspector-rank officers of the Punjab Police and their armed subordinates attacked him and his son without any provocation in Punjab.

In his petition, Colonel Bath had said that the Punjab Police accused officers and their armed subordinates, who snatched his identity card and mobile phone, and threatened him with a "fake encounter".

The petitioner alleged that the colonel's wife, Jaswinder Kaur, was pressured by the policemen to strike a compromise and claimed that some personnel admitted to her over a video call that they were under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.

Four days after the incident, the police apologised to the Army officer and assured "strict action against the erring cops".

--IANS

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