PATIALA: The family of army Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath who was assaulted by police officials today started dharna outside the office of Deputy Commissioner Patiala, demanding CBI inquiry into the case. Large number of ex-servicemen from all over Punjab have joined the dharna.
After outage, the Patiala police has registered fresh The FIR which names Inspectors Ronni Singh, who was SHO Samana, Inspector Harjinder Dhillon, who was in-charge special cell Patiala; and Inspector Harry Boparai, posted in special cell, Rajpura.
The accused cops have been booked under Sections 155, (2) 117 (2) (both voluntarily causing hurt), 126(2) (wrongful restraint) and 351(2) (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Five unidentified persons are also listed accused in the FIR. The incident took place on the intervening night of March 13 and 14, when Colonel Bath and his son were at a roadside eatery near Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala.
Jaswinder Kaur wife of Col Bath while addressing the dharna said that his husband and son were brutally beaten by policemen. All accused are identified and SSP Nanak Singh suspended 12 of them. But in the FIR all accused are not named. She said that police was trying from very beginning to shield the culprits. She said that after family protested, 12 policemen were suspended by SSP but their names were not released. Then a FIR was registered in the name of Dhaba owner who was not the victim. They met the Governor and now FIR is registered without naming all accused policemen.
Patiala MP Dharamvir Gandhi and former MP Parneet Kaur are also present in the dharna but not allowed to sit on dias with family.