The family of Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath, who was allegedly assaulted by Punjab police, staged a protest in Patiala demanding a CBI inquiry.
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00:00Shifting focus to Patiala in Punjab,
00:02the family of Colonel Pushpendra Singh Bhatt,
00:05who was assaulted by the Punjab Police,
00:07staged a dharna outside the Deputy Commissioner's office in Patiala.
00:12Now, this is a decorated officer.
00:14His father was also in the army and commanding officer.
00:18He's said to be a fifth generation officer.
00:21And he was assaulted by the Punjab Police outside a dhaba.
00:25This incident took place on the night intervening March 13th and 14th.
00:28Colonel Bhatt and his son were at a roadside eatery
00:31near Government Rajendra Hospital in Patiala.
00:34The family said, when the two were standing outside their car and having food,
00:39some police officials in civil clothes, in plain clothes,
00:42they approached them and asked the Colonel to move his vehicle
00:45so that they could park theirs.
00:47This led to an altercation.
00:49And Colonel Bhatt, a serving army officer in army headquarters,
00:54on deputation with Cabinet Secretariat,
00:56his 24-year-old son,
00:58they were assaulted by at least, according to his wife,
01:0212 members of the Punjab Police, that included four inspectors.
01:07Now, Patiala District Commissioner met the protesters
01:10and persuaded them to call off the agitation.
01:12He said, I assure you that a fair investigation will be carried out.
01:16However, Colonel Bhatt's kin refused to lift the sit-in.
01:23My demand is that we will not go before the CBI inquiry.
01:28SSP Nanak should get an immediate posting order from here.
01:32Secondly, SSP Nanak, all the officers who have been suspended,
01:37not officers, but goons,
01:39he is not worthy of being called an officer.
01:41Call the goons in the media
01:44and tell them that we have suspended these 12 officers on the basis of FIR
01:49and arrest them.
01:51And after that, SSP Nanak should be thrown out of here
01:55because if SSP Nanak stays here,
01:57he can hurt me and my family in some way.
02:02Speaking on a personal note,
02:05I come from an army background.
02:07I am the son of an army officer.
02:08I have grown up in army cantonments.
02:11I've studied in central schools.
02:13So, I have immense respect for the army.
02:16What happened was unfortunate
02:18and we would take appropriate action.
02:20At the same time, I would also like to say
02:22that I am immensely proud of the khaki uniform I am wearing.
02:26Punjab Police is a very brave, courageous, courageous force
02:30which, together with the army, the Central Paramilitary Forces,
02:33destroyed the oppression in Punjab.
02:37So, I would request everyone that it is an aberration.
02:41So, let us not make it out as a battle of institutions
02:44or army versus police or anything.
02:46So, we have immense respect for the army.
02:49So, law will take its own course in the matter.
02:53So, DGP Punjab, Gaurav Yadav concedes it's an aberration.
02:57But if an aberration has happened,
02:59what action is being taken against the accused?
03:01And as Jaswinder Kaur Bath,
03:04the wife of that army officer, alleges
03:06that some officers are being shielded.
03:08Is there merit in that contention?
03:11I want to quickly cut across and bring in Jaswinder Kaur Bath
03:14who joins me on the broadcast.
03:16She is a part of this sit-in.
03:18Ma'am, police have registered an FIR.
03:21Why are you not satisfied with the FIR?
03:23Why are you still protesting, ma'am?
03:27The police registered an FIR ten days later.
03:32They registered an FIR on the eighth day.
03:35First, they registered a fake FIR
03:38which they misled us.
03:40SSP Nanak misled me and harassed me so much
03:44that I can't even tell you.
03:46Two days ago,
03:47under the pressure of the Kisan Andolan,
03:49the protest groups and the media,
03:53they registered an FIR.
03:55Even after registering the FIR,
03:57we didn't know which 12 people had been suspended.
04:01One of them, the main SHO,
04:03his name wasn't mentioned
04:04because he was SSP's right-hand man.
04:07SSP is playing a lot of games
04:09and is eye-washing us all.
04:12Now, he has made a sit-in.
04:14The sit-in is for the officers of the Punjab Police.
04:19The officers in the sit-in
04:22are SSP Nanak's course mates.
04:26We won't get justice from them.
04:28So, is that why you're seeking a CBI investigation in this case?
04:31You have no faith in Punjab Police investigations
04:33because we're told that a magisterial inquiry
04:36has now been ordered.
04:39When the Punjab Police saw that
04:42FIR means the first person who reports the incident.
04:46We had reported the incident at 2 o'clock at night
04:49to the police to come and help us out.
04:52But they did not take any action.
04:54SSP Nanak...
05:11Okay. So, you say you will fight.
05:31Ma'am, if I were to stay on this current issue...
05:33If I were to stay just on the current issue for a moment,
05:36your husband is a serving army colonel.
05:39It was alleged...
05:42that he was under the influence of liquor at the dhaba.
05:47Of course, I'm told those charges were found false
05:50after the medical test.
05:52But is it true that you're under pressure
05:55for a compromise and not to pursue this case?
06:06Okay. That's okay.
06:08What I'm saying is...
06:38Okay.
07:08So...
07:29Okay. Ma'am, what I want to understand from you,
07:31what are your demands at this stage?
07:33What is it that you are seeking?
07:36Because I'm told you live in Patiala,
07:38your son stays in Patiala,
07:40and certain comments have been made by the police
07:42about your stay in Patiala.
08:36Okay.
09:06Okay.
09:36Right.
10:01Right.
10:06So, very clearly, a lady continues to fight for justice.
10:10Mrs. Bhatt, for joining me here on India Today,
10:12many thanks.
10:13We will track developments on this story.