Col assault incident: Army calls for fair probe; highest respect for Army, says Punjab DGP

Chandigarh: The Army on Tuesday called for a fair and honest investigation in a transparent and time-bound manner to punish the guilty in the Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath assault incident.

Bath accused 12 Punjab Police personnel of assaulting him and his son over a parking dispute on the intervening night of March 13-14 in Patiala. On Monday, he filed a plea in the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking transfer of the probe to the CBI or another independent agency.

"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 here 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.

"I would like to assure all that the Indian Army remains fully committed to pursuing the case to its logical conclusion," Lt Gen Wadhwa added.

DGP Yadav said the Punjab Police reiterates its highest respect to the Indian Army and is committed to maintaining and upholding the dignity of the Army officers.

He said any person who has assaulted the serving Army officer shall be dealt with severely and in accordance with law. The investigations shall be completed swiftly so that the culprits are brought to book soon, said the DGP, as he talked about various steps taken by the Punjab Police after the incident which includes setting up of a high-level Special Investigation Team headed by a senior Punjab Police officer.

Bath, who sought the transfer of the probe to the CBI or another independent agency, alleged in the plea that a fair investigation was impossible under the Punjab Police.

The Punjab Police last week registered a fresh FIR based on Bath's statement. A high-level special investigation team has been set up to conduct the investigation in a "fair and expeditious manner".

All 12 personnel have been placed under suspension and departmental proceedings for major punishment have been initiated against them.

Bath has stated in the petition before the high court here that he and his son were "brutally" attacked on the intervening night of March 13-14 in Patiala. Lt Gen Wadhwa said a serving Colonel Bath was assaulted by certain Punjab policemen outside a dhaba at Patiala.

The Army was informed about the incident on March 15, he said. The officer was shifted from the civil hospital to the military hospital and underwent treatment at Chandimandir at the Command hospital and is presently recuperating from his injuries, he said.

"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.

The Punjab police have regretted the undesirable actions on the part of their personnel. They have identified the policemen involved and issued their immediate suspension as well as transfer, he said.

Thereafter, an FIR based on the complaint lodged by Bath was registered at the Civil Lines police station, Patiala, on March 22 under relevant sections of the BNS.

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 timeframe.

The Punjab police under the leadership of the DGP have reiterated their profound respect for the Indian Army and its personnel, emphasising that such an incident is just an undesirable aberration and contrary to the values that they uphold in their organisation, the Lt Gen said.

"I, through the media, assure the serving officers, esteemed veterans and the public at large, that all possible steps are being taken that the officer Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath, who was assaulted by the police personnel, gets due justice.

"However, I would also urge all sections to remain calm and composed so that we do not fall prey to the designs of the inimical elements," he said.

The Punjab DGP said, "...An FIR has been registered in Civil Lines police station, Patiala, on the statement of the Colonel on March 22. The statement of Col Bath names the police officials who assaulted him." A high-level SIT has been constituted for conducting investigations fairly and expeditiously. The SIT has been directed investigations on a day-to-day basis for collection of evidence and further legal proceedings in order to ensure that the culprits are proceeded as per law.

The SIT has been directed to conclude the investigation at the earliest, the DGP said.