Patiala, July 31: A departmental inquiry by Punjab Police into the alleged assault on Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath and his son has recommended stringent disciplinary action against four police inspectors, including a three-year service deduction and a promotion freeze, officials said on Wednesday.
The action follows six days after the Punjab and Haryana High Court transferred the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on July 16, prompting a fresh FIR from the CBI on July 24.
The internal probe, led by Patiala Superintendent of Police Varun Sharma, focused on the events of the night of March 13–14, when Colonel Bath and his son were allegedly assaulted by police personnel outside a local eatery in Patiala during a parking dispute.
The FIR initially named 12 Punjab Police personnel, including Inspectors Harjinder Dhillon, Harry Boparai, Shaminder Singh, and Ronnie Singh. Six of them were specifically cited in connection with direct involvement in the alleged assault.
“We have recommended departmental action based on findings of the inquiry led by an SP-rank officer. These officers will remain under suspension and posted outside the Patiala range,” said a senior IPS officer familiar with the matter.
The inquiry’s recommendations include:
- Three-year deduction in service for the accused inspectors
- No promotion eligibility for three years
- Continued suspension
- Posting outside Patiala jurisdiction
The incident drew widespread criticism, especially after the colonel accused the police of using excessive force against him and his son without provocation.
Following public outrage and media attention, Punjab Police had suspended all 12 officers named in the FIR and launched both criminal and departmental proceedings.
Col Bath’s wife, Jasvinder Kaur, welcomed the internal action but reaffirmed their demand for full legal accountability.
“We are satisfied with the departmental action, but our fight for justice is far from over. The criminal act committed by these officers must be prosecuted under law,” she said.
The CBI is now formally handling the criminal investigation, and sources say it will independently verify all evidence, including CCTV footage and witness statements, from the night of the incident.
Read more: Col Bath, Family Meet Rajnath Singh Over Assault Case
