Colonel assault case: Fresh FIR, high-level SIT formed as wife alleges ‘brutality’; top developments

Earlier, Pushpinder Singh Bath’s wife demanded that the case be transferred to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for an impartial investigation

A fresh first information report (FIR) was registered by Punjab Police on Friday based on an Army Colonel’s complaint, in which he accused 12 police officials of thrashing him and his son during a parking altercation.

A high-level special investigation team (SIT) has also been formed to ensure a "fair and expeditious" investigation. The development follows a meeting between the Colonel's wife and Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, who urged the state DGP to register an FIR based on the Colonel's statement, emphasising the family's right to seek justice.

Army colonel assault case: Here’s what really happened and the latest developments

- The wife of the Army Colonel became emotional during a press conference in Chandigarh, where she demanded justice for her husband and son. She accused some Punjab police officials of subjecting them to an "unimaginable act of brutality."

- "A case, FIR No. 69 dated March 21, 2025, has been registered at Police Station Civil Lines, Patiala, based on the statement of Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath, recorded on March 14, 2025, regarding an unfortunate incident of assault by police officials that occurred on the intervening night of March 13-14. The statement of Colonel Bath names the police officials who assaulted him and also details their roles in the assault," PTI quoted an official statement released on the evening of March 21.

- A high-level SIT, led by SPS Parmar, Additional Director General of Police, Law and Order, Punjab, and including Sandeep Malik, Senior Superintendent of Police, Hoshiarpur, and Manpreet Singh, Superintendent of Police, Rural, SAS Nagar, has been set up by the Director of the Bureau of Investigation, Punjab, to ensure a fair and expeditious investigation.

-The SIT is expected to conduct a day-to-day investigation to collect evidence and move forward with legal actions in order to ensure that the culprits are prosecuted according to the law. Meanwhile, DIG of Patiala Range has been instructed to instantly transfer the concerned police officials out of Patiala district to ensure a fair investigation.

-Earlier, Pushpinder Singh Bath’s wife demanded that the case be transferred to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for an impartial investigation. She also submitted a representation to the Deputy Commissioner of Patiala, recounting the ordeal her family allegedly faced at the hands of the Punjab Police.

- She had also raised concerns over the handling of the case, saying, “We went to meet DGP Gaurav Yadav, but he was busy. We waited for one and a half hours, but then he left without meeting us. He is an army officer's son, but he still did so... I am raising my voice just because my son said that he would not stay in this country as it is not worth staying. I had to prove to him that justice would be given.”

-The Colonel’s wife further alleged that a police inspector informed her that the names of certain personnel could not be included in the FIR. During a press conference, she shared that the inspector explained, “We cannot add the names of some police personnel in the FIR because they have been recognised as encounter specialists by the DIG and are about to be promoted.” He assured her that the police would take action but insisted that those names would not appear in the report.

- Regarding her meeting with Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, Bath said, "Governor Sahib had tears in his eyes when I was speaking to him and showing him photos of how brutally my husband had been assaulted." According to her, the Governor spoke to the state DGP during their meeting and asserted that the family was entitled to have the FIR filed based on the Colonel’s statement.

-The incident occurred on the intervening night of March 13-14, when Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath and his son were at a roadside eatery near Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala. As per the family, while they were eating outside their car, a group of police officers in civilian clothes approached and asked the Colonel to move his vehicle for them to park. When he objected to their rude tone, one officer punched him, and the others joined in, assaulting both him and his son. The Colonel sustained a broken arm, while his son suffered a deep cut on his head.