DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Punjab police inspector Ronnie Singh Salh has moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking anticipatory bail after being implicated in an alleged assault case involving an Indian Army officer and his son.

According to a petition filed by him in the High Court, the case stems from an incident that occurred on March 13, 2025, near Rajindra Hospital in Patiala. Inspector Salh was reportedly acting on secret intelligence regarding a wanted drug trafficker, Tarsem Singh alias Tunda, when he encountered a group of individuals consuming alcohol in public. Among them was Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath and his son, Angad Singh. A confrontation ensued when the officer asked them to clear the passage, leading to a physical altercation.

Col. Bath, in his complaint, alleged that he and his son were assaulted by a group of men in civilian clothes, who vandalized their vehicle and snatched his identification card and mobile phone. The FIR registered against Inspector Salh includes serious charges under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita

(BNSS), 2023.

However, Salh has contended that he is the victim of a social media campaign aimed at maligning his reputation. His petition states that CCTV footage and eyewitness reports support his version of events, and that Col. Bath's wife has been distorting facts online. Furthermore, Salh argues that the incident led to the failure of his drug raid, allowing the primary suspect to escape.

Currently suspended from duty, Salh has expressed concerns for his safety due to the online outrage against him. He maintains that his custodial interrogation is unnecessary and that his arrest would cause irreparable damage to his career and reputation.

(editor@dailyworld.in)