DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

The Army on Tuesday called for a fair and honest investigation in a transparent and time-bound manner to punish the guilty in the Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath assault incident. The Army also said it remains fully committed to pursuing the case to its logical conclusion.

Col Bath accused 12 Punjab Police personnel of assaulting him and his son over a parking dispute on the intervening night of March 13-14 in Patiala.

On Monday, he filed a plea in the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking the transfer of the probe to the CBI or another independent agency.

"We reiterate the need for a fair and honest investigation in a transparent and a very time-bound manner to punish the guilty and restore the faith in the system," Lt Gen Mohit Wadhwa, Chief of Staff, Army Western Command headquarters Chandimandir, said at a joint media briefing here with Punjab's Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav.

Lt Gen Wadhwa said the guilty police personnel should be punished in a timely and exemplary manner so that the incident does not vitiate the atmosphere and affect the long cherished bonhomie between the civil administration and Punjab Police with the serving and retired Army personnel.

"I would like to assure all that the Indian Army remains fully committed to pursuing the case to its logical conclusion," Lt Gen Wadhwa added.

DGP Yadav said the Punjab Police reiterates its highest respect to the Indian Army and is committed to maintaining and upholding the dignity of the Army officers.

He said any person who has assaulted the serving Army officer shall be dealt with severely and in accordance with law. The investigations shall be completed swiftly so that the culprits are brought to book soon, said the DGP, as he talked about various steps taken by the Punjab Police after the incident which includes setting up of a high-level Special Investigation Team headed by a senior Punjab Police officer.

Col Bath, who sought the transfer of the probe to the CBI or another independent agency, alleged in the plea that a fair investigation was impossible under the Punjab Police.

The Punjab Police last week registered a fresh FIR based on Col Bath's statement. A high-level special investigation team has been set up to investigate in a "fair and expeditious manner".

All 12 personnel have been placed under suspension and departmental proceedings for major punishment have been initiated against them.

Col Bath has stated in the petition before the high court here that he and his son were "brutally" attacked on the intervening night of March 13-14 in Patiala.

Lt Gen Wadhwa said a serving Colonel Bath was assaulted by certain Punjab policemen outside a dhaba at Patiala.

The Army was informed about the incident on March 15 afternoon and since then this issue has been addressed with due alacrity both at the state and at the district levels. The officer was shifted from the civil hospital to the military hospital, he thereafter underwent treatment at Chandimandir at the Command hospital and is presently recuperating from his injuries, the Lt Gen said.

"The matter was very strongly taken up with the highest echelons of the state administration and Punjab police for prompt investigation and delivery of justice," Wadhwa said.

The Punjab police have regretted the undesirable actions on the part of their personnel. They have identified the policemen involved and issued their immediate suspension as well as transfer out of

Patiala, he said.

(editor@dailyworld.in)