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2w ago

Punjab and Haryana High Court Transfers Colonel Bath Assault Probe to CBI

The court ruled that the SIT’s failure to secure key evidence or detain the accused compromised Article 21 protections, paving the way for a CBI takeover.

Colonel Bath and his 21-year-old son Angad were allegedly assaulted by police officers over a parking dispute outside a roadside eatery near Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala on March 13. (HT)
File photo of Colonel Pushpinder Bath's wife Jaswinder Kaur Bath addressing a protest gathering outside the DC office in Patiala | ANI
File photo: Jaswinder Kaur Bath, wife of Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath staging a protest in Patiala on 30 March, 2025 | ANI
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Overview

  • On July 16, the High Court withdrew the case from the Chandigarh Police SIT and directed the CBI to conduct the investigation into the March 13 assault on Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath and his son.
  • Justice Rajesh Bhardwaj found that the SIT had created procedural loopholes, including an early deletion of the attempt-to-murder charge, undermining the probe’s integrity.
  • The court highlighted missing CCTV footage, alleged manipulation of medico-legal documents and the lack of non-bailable warrants among the investigation’s key lapses.
  • All five accused Punjab Police officers remain untraced and suspended despite prior orders to arrest them within the SIT’s four-month deadline.
  • Bath’s family welcomed the transfer, saying the decision restores confidence in their bid for impartial justice and underscores the constitutional right to a fair inquiry.