Colonel assault case: Punjab & Haryana HC questions delay in registering FIR

Chandigarh: Expressing reservations over the conduct of Punjab Police in an alleged assault case involving Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath and his son, the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday questioned the seven-day delay in registering a first information report (FIR).

"Why did you not register the FIR when you learnt of the incident? Why this delay? What is the explanation?" asked Justice Sandeep Moudgil.

The questions came as the court heard a petition filed by Colonel Bath, seeking the transfer of the FIR, dated March 22, registered at Police Station Civil Lines in Patiala, to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or any independent agency to ensure a free, fair, and impartial investigation.

The Colonel, posted at the Army headquarters in New Delhi, has alleged that he was assaulted on the night of March 13 when they were at a roadside eatery near Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala.

Twelve police personnel, including three inspectors, were suspended and a departmental probe was ordered against them last week in connection with a brawl in which they allegedly “kicked, punched and brutally assaulted” the Colonel and his son.

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

Justice Moudgil wanted to know why the first case was registered on the complaint of the dhaba owner when the medical report of the victims was available. He gave the state government two days to provide details on who tried to delay the registration of the criminal case.

During the hearing, Colonel Bath’s counsel showed videos to the bench, including one in which some policemen are purportedly admitting their mistake and apologising to Jaswinder Kaur, the wife of the Army officer. The petitioner alleges that pressure was put on his wife to reach a compromise and further claimed that some policemen admitted in a video call to his wife that they were under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crime.

--IANS

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