CHANDIGARH/NEW DELHI: Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) rapped on the knuckles of Punjab Police during the hearing into the brutal assault on Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath and his son on March 13-14 intervening night while also directing the state to disclose the name of the officer who refused to register an FIR and lashing out at 2011-batch IPS Nanak Singh for several lapses.
Nanak Singh, a 2011 RR, is already facing another Punjab and Haryana HC case over alleged harassment of AIIMS doctor in Chandigarh.
The high court also sought explanation in delay in registering the FIR, despite the availability of medico-legal reports on record.
“An explanation for the delay in registering the FIR, despite the availability of medico-legal reports on record along with detailed statement of the petitioner dated March 14, 2025 as well as comprehensive text message to Mr Nanak Singh, senior superintendent of police, Patiala,” the order by Punjab and Haryana HC Justice Sandeep Mudgil states.
The court also said that it has “deep concern regarding procedural fairness and preservation of material evidence”.
The Army officer’s lawyer P S Ahluwalia told HC that “despite an ID showing valid service of the Indian Army by Pushpinder, several SUVS approached aggressively without warning and one individual struck the petitioner where others caused assault on his son as well, as a result of which, the petitioner went into a semi-conscious state”.
“The ID showing valid service and even mobile phones were forcibly taken by the inspectors of Punjab Police, who have been named specifically…Inspector Harry Boparai, Inspector Rauni Singh, Inspector Shaminder Singh, Inspector Harjinder Dhillon, who were probably under the influence of alcohol at that time,” Bath’s lawyer told HC.
He also told that the Colonel kept conveying to the cops that the Army officer was deputed on a sensitive post and his mobile phone must be returned considering the risk of leakage of sensitive information pertaining to national importance but appeals fell on deaf ears.
Punjab and Haryana HC also expressed shock that Patiala SSP Nanak Singh, instead of registering a case of assault on the Army officer, ostensibly made attempts to frame him with the help of a dhaba owner.
“This court is sanguine of the fact that despite medical examination of the petitioner and his son, no FIR was registered particularly looking into the injuries as is evident from the medico legal report sustained by them. But to utter dismay and shock an FIR bearing No. 65 dated March 15 at 00:15 AM was got lodged on recording of statement by one Karankot Singh, a Dhaba owner against the petitioner and his son, which is nothing less than an attempt to protect the police officials,” said the high court.
“Having perused the statement by Karanjot Singh, it is clear he was silent on conduct of police officials and even about their presence at the spot,” the high court further pointed out.
The HC on Tuesday pointed towards “non preservation of CCTV footage” from the place of crime.
The HC also observed that 20 calls were made to police authorities “immediately at the behest of the petitioner of his wife”.
Pushpinder’s lawyer P S Ahluwalia told HC that first call was made at “00:57 AM on March 14 to SHO, Civil Lines and to SSP, Nanak Singh”. “Even a comprehensive text was sent at 9:48 Am to Patiala SSP Nanak Singh” he said.
HC came down heavily down on Punjab Police leadership.
“Such act on the part of force of any state government cannot be accepted by this court, which is expected not to act with violence and with such a gravity against its citizens and thereafter going more worse in not acting action immediately once the matter was reported even to highest officer of the district, that is senior superintendent of police, Patiala,” Justice Mudgil said in his order.
Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav on Tuesday sought to assuage the damage by holding a joint presser in Chandigarh along with the Army officials of the Western Command.
“Speaking on a personal note, I am the son of an Army officer. I grew up in cantonments. I studied in central schools. So, I have immense respect for the Army. What happened was unfortunate. I would also like to say I am immensely proud of the khaki uniform and proud of Punjab Police that took on terrorists alongside Army and para forces. My request is not to make this case of Indian Army vs Punjab Police,” said Yadav.
