"Why are those Police officers not yet arrested": RS MP Rekha Sharma over assault on Colonel Pushpinder Bath

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], March 22 (ANI): Rajya Sabha MP Rekha Sharma on Saturday called for the immediate arrest of the police personnel involved in the alleged assault of Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath, emphasising that suspension is not a punishment in the case.
Speaking to ANI, Rekha Sharma said that the police are doing "hooliganism" in Punjab and the state government allegedly supporting them.
"On March 14, an (Army) officer and his son were going to Patiala, when they reached Patiala and was having food sitting inside their car. From the opposite side, a Police vehicle came along with two civilian vehicles, all 3 vehicles were full of Police personnel. They used very bad language and asked the officer and his son to move their vehicle from the spot so that the Police personnel could park their vehicle. When the officer questioned them for their language, 12 people physically assaulted both the officer and son very brutally. They sustained serious injuries and his ID card was taken away," she said.
"Police did not take any immediate action against those Police personnel. Even though now, some of the Police officers have been suspended, the main accused has not. Suspension is anyway not a punishment. Why hasn't an FIR not yet been registered against them? Why are those Police officers not yet arrested? Police are doing hooliganism in Punjab and the state government is supporting them," Rekha Sharma said.
Meanwhile, in response to the incident, as many as four police officers from Patiala have been suspended and transferred for allegedly assaulting Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath in Punjab's Patiala, a senior police officer said.
A First Information Report (FIR) has also been filed against the four accused officers.
The official said that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) will investigate the case.
Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Nanak Singh told ANI, "A fresh FIR has been filed in this matter. A case has been registered against Inspector Ronni Singh, Inspector Harjinder Dhillon, Inspector Harry Boparai and Inspector Shaminder. In addition, they have been suspended and transferred out of the state. The SIT will be headed by ADGP SPS Parmar... Punjab police have provided them (Colonel Bath and his family) with security, including two armed police personnel... The SIT will investigate, and they will make the arrests... The protest is peaceful so far."
Jaswinder Kaur Bath, wife of Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath said that she would continue her fight for justice.
"This is not a political issue. This is a fight by people. I would like to tell you one thing, I will fight for Punjab and get justice for everyone. There is no need for me to make a political party or organisation, I will fight and get justice for everyone...FIR has been lodged but I do not know anything about the suspension order." she said.
On Friday, an FIR was registered in Police Station Civil Lines, Patiala on the statement of Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath as recorded on March 14 regarding an unfortunate incident of assault by police officials which occurred on the intervening night of March 13/14.
The statement of Colonel Bath named the police officials who assaulted him and also gave the roles attributed to each person in the assault.
A High-Level Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by SPS Parmar, IPS, Additional Director General of Police, Law & Order, Punjab, and, including Sandeep Malik, IPS, Senior Superintendent of Police, Hoshiarpur and Manpreet Singh, PPS, Superintendent of Police, Rural, SAS Nagar was later constituted by the Director, Bureau of Investigation, Punjab for conducting investigations in a fair and expeditious manner.
The SIT has been directed to investigate day-to-day basis for the collection of evidence and further legal proceedings, to ensure that the culprits are proceeded against as per law. (ANI)