PATIALA: It is big shame and embarrassment for the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Aam Aadmi Party as CM was forced to register a fresh FIR No. 69 dated March 21, 2025 in Police Station Civil Lines, Patiala on statement of Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath reportedly on the intervention of Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh who warned the state government about consequences of insulting the serving army officer.
It is learnt that center government had taken strong notice of reports that Punjab Government was not registering the FIR against guilty policemen who assaulted Colonel Bath. The Western Command Chief who tried to convince the Punjab Police to book the policemen involved in the assault case had finally brought the matter in the notice of army chief and Union defence minister. Punjab Chief Minister was defending the culprits, it is reported to center government.
Shame for Media Too
The media has compromised to an extent that main stream elctronic media dind'nt telecast the press conference of Jaswinder Kaur Bath wife of Col Bath today when she explained the humiliation in the hands of SSP Nanak Singh. Only News 18 Punjab telecast half of the press conference and it was abruptly discountinued. Daily Post had telecasted a part of the press conference.
Jaswinder Kaur wife of Col Bath today held a press conference in Patiala and blamed SSP Nanak Singh for mistreating her and sheltring the guilty policemen. She said that she was running from pillar to post to get justice. What could be the plight of a commion man if beaten by police, if a serving army officer is not getting justice. She also released the video of guilty police officials seeking pardon for their conduct. She said that a police officer in provate had admitted that they are under pressure from top brass not to register FIR.
Now the Patiala police has registered the FIR on the statement of Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath as recorded on 14-03- 2025 regarding an unfortunate incident of assault by police officials which occurred on the intervening night of 13/14 March, 2025. The statement of Colonel Bath names the police officials who assaulted him and also gives the roles attributed to each person in the assault.
An official spokesman lsaid that a High Level Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by S.P.S. Parmar, IPS, Additional Director General of Police, Law & Order, Punjab, and, including Sh. Sandeep Malik, IPS, Senior Superintendent of Police, Hoshiarpur and Sh. Manpreet Singh, PPS, Superintendent of Police, Rural, SAS Nagar has been constituted by the Director, Bureau of Investigation, Punjab for conducting investigations in a fair and expeditious manner. The SIT has been directed to conduct the investigation on day-to-day basis for collection of evidences and further legal proceedings, in order to ensure that the culprits are proceeded against as per law.
Nanak Singh don't deserve any respect
Jaswinder Kaur wife of Col Bath in press conference got emotional and said that she was humilated by SSP Nanak Singh and he deserved no respect. She said he shoudl be dismissed from service as he is a blot on Punjab police. He harrassed the family at every level and shilded the culprit police officials. He kept her waiting outside office for 45 minutes when she went to see him after taking an appointment. She called him only Nanak.
A Punjab Police spokesperson stated that instructions have been issued to DIG Patiala Range to immediately transfer the concerned police officials out of District Patiala, so that investigation can be conducted in a fair manner. The Spokesperson further added that all the 12 concerned police officials have been placed under suspension and Departmental Proceedings for major punishment have been initiated against them.
The Additional Director General of Police, Security, Punjab has been directed to provide adequate protection to the family of Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath.
Early in the morning, Punjab Chief Minsiter had ordered magistrial inquiry and asked the inquiry officer to submit report in three weeks. Similar departmental inquiry was ordered by SSP Nanak Singh and souight report in 45 days. The familh of Bath alleged that all inquires are aimed to give clean chit to the guilty officers. The Patiala police had earlier registered the FIR without naming the police officials who beat up the Colonel that too on the statement of dhaba owner where the Colonel and his son were brutaly beaten.