An FIR lodged by Lieutenant Avinish Chambiyal (22) of the Assam Regiment stated that he and two of his colleagues were brutally assaulted, following an altercation with Garatkar.

But Garatkar also lodged an FIR, stating that Lt Chambiyal tried to molest his wife. Garatkar alleged that Chambiyal and his colleagues tried to molest his wife on board a luxury bus plying from Indore to Pune.Meanwhile, Brigadier Madan Gopal who is a sub-area commander, while claiming that his officers were innocent, said they would beinstituting an inquiry into the incident.

``They were threatened by Garatkar in the bus, who claimed that he was an influential man and would `take care' of them when they arrived in Pune.'' Brig Gopal, however, added that if the officers were found guilty on any count, necessary action would be taken against them.

According to the FIR lodged by Lt Chambiyal, the altercation that sparked off the incident occurred on the bus on Thursday night. The FIR states that Lt Chambiyal, along with Lt Ashok Paungal (23) and Lt Sameer Ramteerthkar (22) were on their way from Infantry School, Mhow, when they got into a fight with Garatkar. Lt Chambiyal said that Garatkar, who occupied the seat in front of his, pushed his seat back causing inconvenience to him.

Garatkar refused to move his seat forward and this led to an altercation, Lt Chambiyal said. Garatkar and his wife allegedly threatened that he would `take care' of them when they arrived in Pune. The FIR states that when the bus stopped at Ahmednagar,Garatkar asked his men to wait for them at the Pune bus stop. When Lt Chambiyal and his colleagues disembarked, they were surrounded by around 50 men who started assaulting them.

Even though the officers offered to settle matters at the nearby police station, they were allegedly attacked with sticks and stones by the men . Some senior army officials who rushed to the spot alleged that the police officers initially refused to lodge an FIR, despite Lt Chambiyal recognising seven of the attackers. An FIR was lodged only after the military police arrived on the scene. The three lieutenants were taken to Sassoon Hospital.

Lt Ramteerthkar received two stitches on his head, while Lt Paungal and Lt Chambiyal were badly bruised. But Garatkar's FIR gives a different story. He has alleged that Lt Chambiyal tried to molest his wife. The Bund Garden police have registered a case of molestation and are probing the matter.