Chargesheet filed in Colonel Bath case (Jagran Photo)
Ved Sharma, Mohali. CBI has filed a charge sheet in Mohali court in the case of attack on Colonel in Patiala. Four Punjab Police officers have been charged with causing grievous hurt and illegal restraint by the prosecution in the attack on a retired colonel and his son in Patiala.
Inspector Rani Singh has been made the main accused in the charge sheet, but there is no mention of attempt to murder (section 109 BNS). This case is related to the alleged attack that took place in March, in which policemen were accused of attacking with sticks.
Patiala Police had earlier registered an FIR against Inspector Harry Boparai, Rani Singh and Harjinder Dhillon under sections 109 (attempt to murder), 310, 155(2) (causing hurt), 117(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 126(2) (unlawful restraint) and 351(2) (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Justice Code (BNS). Was done. Later another inspector was named under sections 299 and 191 BNS.
This was the whole matter
The incident took place on the night of 13-14 March 2024 at a roadside dhaba near Rajindra Hospital, Patiala. Retired Colonel Bath and his son were eating food while standing near their car.
During this time, some policemen in plain clothes came and asked the Colonel to move his car so that he could park his car. When an argument broke out, a dozen policemen allegedly attacked him with sticks. The colonel and his son were seriously injured. The family alleges that the policemen deliberately inflicted violence and insult.
The colonel lodged a complaint about the incident, after which the police registered a case. But there were allegations of delay and bias in the investigation, due to which the matter reached the High Court. Now the charge sheet has been filed, but the section of attempt to murder has been removed.
The police had first accused the colonel of attacking him.
Police say that the colonel attacked first and hurt the policemen. But the main allegations in the charge sheet are against the police officers. The main accused, Inspector Rani Singh, has been described as the mastermind of the case.
The prosecution said that based on the evidence, charges of causing serious injury and illegal restraint could be proven. The defense termed the removal of the attempt to murder section as a big relief. The next hearing of the case is expected in January. This matter is raising questions on the working style of the police in Punjab.