Chandigarh SP Manjeet Sheoran to probe Col Pushpinder Singh Bath ‘assault’ case

Holding the charge of DGP (Chandigarh Police) Raj Kumar Singh said that as per orders of the court, an AGMUT cadre officer, Manjeet Sheoran, has been given the charge to probe the matter, and he will further submit a report on it.

Sheoran, is currently posted as Superintendent of Police (SP) in Chandigarh, holding responsibilities for Headquarters, Intelligence, Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Communication, and as Assistant Commandant General/Home Guards.

He will supervise the SIT, along with a team of DSP, an inspector and a sub-inspector of the Chandigarh Police.

Earlier, Col Bath had moved the high court, seeking a CBI probe in the matter. Hearing the plea, the court ordered that the investigation be led by an IPS officer from the AGMUT cadre, ensuring no officer from the Punjab cadre is involved.

“Learned counsel for the petitioner as well as State of Punjab are ad idem (in agreement) that in the facts and circumstances of the case, the investigation of the FIR (supra) may be entrusted to an IPS officer posted in Chandigarh, (and) not from Punjab Cadre, to resolve the controversy involved in the present petition,” the court said.

The alleged assault occurred on the intervening night of March 13 and 14 at Jaswant Dhaba near Rajindra Hospital in Patiala where the colonel and his family were dining.

According to Col Bath, a group of men confronted them over their car’s parking, leading to an altercation. He alleged that one of them threatened to break their legs before punching him, rendering him unconscious. His son, Angad, was also assaulted. When Col Bath identified himself as an army officer, they allegedly snatched his ID card and phone before continuing the assault, according to the officer.

The Punjab Police registered an FIR days later only on March 22 despite being informed of the incident the same night. Initially, the Punjab government formed an SIT led by ADGP A S Rai, but on Col Bath’s plea, the high court ordered Chandigarh Police to take over the case.