How many FIRs were registered in Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath assault case during the period of delay on the pretext of farmers’ agitation, the Punjab and Haryana High Court asked the state on Friday.
The court said: “People have been identified, but why they have not been arrested so far?”
“You are only buying time,” the High Court said to the State.
The State sought an adjournment for two weeks, but the Court rejected the request and said it would decide the matter today.
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.
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.
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 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 Tribune
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