Colonel Bath's Family Demands CBI Probe, Transfer of Patiala SSP in Police Assault Case

• Apr 1, 2025

The family of Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath met Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday, seeking the transfer of Patiala SSP Nanak Singh and demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged assault on the Army officer and his son by Punjab Police personnel.

The meeting followed the family’s visit to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi a day earlier, where they expressed dissatisfaction with the Punjab Police's internal investigation and rejected the formation of a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) by the state government.

The incident reportedly took place on March 13 during a parking dispute in Patiala. Colonel Bath, currently posted at Army Headquarters in New Delhi, sustained multiple injuries and was treated at a military hospital. Following the incident, 12 police officers were suspended.

After meeting with the Chief Minister at his official residence in Chandigarh, Colonel Bath’s wife, Jaswinder Kaur Bath, said CM Mann had assured swift action. “He told me that I am Punjab’s daughter and that such an incident should not have happened to anyone. He said a decision would be taken by 6 pm after consulting senior officers,” she said. The family was accompanied by Patiala BJP leader Gurtej Singh Dhillon, a relative of the Army officer.

However, speaking to The Tribune later in the evening, Jaswinder Kaur expressed disappointment. “It is already 8 pm, and we have yet to hear anything from the Chief Minister’s office,” she said. Reaffirming the family’s demand, she added, “We remain firm on our call for an independent CBI investigation and the transfer of SSP Nanak Singh. We are hopeful justice will prevail, and our fight for truth will continue.”

Meanwhile, the SIT, led by Additional DGP AS Rai, visited the scene of the incident in Patiala and announced that the CCTV footage had been sent to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) for analysis.

Rai stated that the investigation would be conducted in a “fact-based and unbiased” manner. He appealed to the public to come forward with any evidence. “Anyone with videos, information, or related evidence can meet the SIT at the Circuit House in Patiala on April 2 between 11 am and 2 pm,” he said. People can also contact SIT member DSP Dalbir Singh Sidhu at 75083-00342.