With ‘blue-eyed’ boys in dock, Punjab Police drag feet on naming them in FIR

By delaying nominating the cops suspended for their alleged role in assault on a colonel and his son in Patiala, the police landed itself in the eye of storm. The case, which has sparked outrage among serving and retired army officers, has exposed “cover-up and reluctance” by the district police to take immediate and transparent action.

More than 48 hours after the incident, the police, acting on the directions of Punjab DGP, suspended 12 personnel, including four inspectors, for their alleged involvement in the attack but what has raised eyebrows is police failure so far to disclose the names of the suspended officers, fueling suspicions of an attempted cover-up.

Despite repeated attempts by mediapersons to obtain the list of suspended officers, senior police officials have remained tight-lipped. Many believe this lack of transparency is a deliberate attempt to prevent public backlash.

Sources reveal that Patiala SSP Nanak Singh was initially reluctant to take action against his own officers but was forced to act under mounting pressure from the army as some of the senior officers from Delhi approached DGP Gaurav Yadav. The police force’s credibility took another hit in this case when it was revealed that instead of filing an FIR based on the colonel’s complaint, the case was initially registered based on the statement of a dhaba owner, who was neither a victim nor an accused.

It was outside this dhaba the colonel and his son were assaulted by a group of policemen who reportedly landed there to have late night meal.

The police theory that the colonel was having drinks in the open has already fallen flat as the medico-legal report of both colonel and his son has found no alcohol in the medical examination.

A retired senior Punjab Police officer, wishing not to be named, termed this sequence of events a “clear-cut faux pas” by the Patiala police. “First, they denied an FIR based on the victim’s complaint. Then, they registered the case on the statement of an unrelated person. This shows an apparent attempt to shield the accused officers,” he said.

Meanwhile, a serving police official, who too sought anonymity, defended the delay in naming the accused in the FIR, suggesting that it could be a strategy to ensure a foolproof case. “In cases like these wherein the victim doesn’t know the accused by name, the investigating officer needs time to establish facts. If the inquiry confirms their involvement, no one can shield the guilty officers,” he stated.

Another reason cited behind not nominating the cops in the FIR immediately is that they all showed “exemplary courage” earlier in the day as they recovered a child from a kidnapper in Nabha and also neutralised one of the kidnappers. DGP Gaurav Yadav had announced ₹10 lakh and promotions for the policemen involved in the operation.

The police’s handling of the case has drawn a sharp criticism from the army fraternity and people who see it as an attempt to cover up police brutality. Many believe the delay in action and reluctance to name the accused has only worsened the situation, making it a national issue in the media.

The AAP-led Punjab government also faces a crucial test ahead as the issue is set to rock the House in the Budget session of the state assembly that would start from March 21.

Colonel Pushpinder Bath was allegedly kicked on his face, sustained severe injuries on his left arm and back after the assault near Rajindra Hospital in Patiala on the intervening night of March 13 and 14. The dispute was related to car parking.