Wife meets Governor and demands CBI probe, calls inquiry an attempt to save guilty policemen not named in FIR
CHANDIGARH: Punjab Government today set up a commission of inquiry into case of beating of an army colonel by Police personeel at Patiala. The will be held by Paramvir Singh IAS who has been given powers of Judicial officer. The report will be submitted to government in three weeks.
The falily of the Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath who was beaten by Punjab police officials had rejected the commission of inquiry and dubs it another attempt to thwart action against the guilty policemen. Jaswinder Kaur wife of Col Bath said that no FIR is registered on their complait but on the complaint of Dhaba owner.
Jaswinder Kaur who met the Governor Punjab today and demanded CBI probe into the beating of her husband. She said that they had been running from pillar to post to get justice. They met the Governor of Punjab today and demanded CBI probe into the case. Jaswinder Kaur alleged that she was being pressurised to withdraw the case and also getting threats from unknown persons. She alleged that state and police were shielding the guilty policemen.
The police had beaten Bath and his son at a Dhaba on March 13 last. After the hue and cry raised by family and Western command, the SSP Patiala had suspended 12 policemen but non of them was named in the FIR. Even the names of suspended police officials were not released. FIR was lodged on the statement of Dhaba owner who is neither accused not a victim. Patiala SSP Nanak Singh has ordered a departmental inquiry to be completed in 45 days.
Commission Of Inquiry
As far as the commission of inquiry ordered by Punjab government is concerned, it appears as an attempt to pre-empt any move by victim to approach Punjab and Haryana High Court to get FIR registered against the guilty police officers. Once commission of inquiry is notified, the family will not be able to seek judicial intervention till the report of commission is submitted. If the commission gives clean chit to the accsued, there would be no further course to seek judicial intervention.
The family of Bath has given call to civil society members to hold peaceful dharna on March 22 in front of Patiala DC office to get justice for the victims. The family along with Ex-servicemen union will hold an indefinite dharna at Patiala.
Gurtej Dhillon, a BJP leader and close relative of the Colonel’s family, stated that their three demands are still pending — lodging an FIR based on Colonel Pushpinder’s complaint, arresting the 12 policemen who attacked him, and taking action against the errant police personnel
Meanwhile, a large number of Ex-servicemen today assembled in from of DC office in Mohali and presented a memorandum demanding President's rule in Punjab. The Ex-servicemen in their memorandum said that law and order had completely collapsed in Punjab and people don't feel safe. They demanded an inquiry into the Patiala incident from sitting judge of High Court.