Bathinda ASP transferred ‘under political pressure’

Days after he booked three youths, including son of a SGPC member for obstructing government employee in performing his duties, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Ketan Baliram Patil, posted in Bathinda, reportedly got marching orders on Monday. Patil, police sources said, has been transferred to Amritsar "owing to political pressure."

Earier, Patil had booked Prabhjot Singh — son of SGPC member Sukhdev Singh Bahia — and two of his friends Ramandeep Singh and Shavinder Singh for misbehaving with constable Gurlal Singh on January 9 night while they were driving around town in their Volkswegan car in a drunk condition, breaking barricades and not even stopping at police nakas.

They were booked under sections 107, 151of the IPC and were released on bail the next day.

However, a fresh FIR was registered under sections 332, 353, 186 against them, a day later, for obstructing government employee in performing his duty.

Prabhjot was allegedly arrested from his house late on January 11 and was later admitted to civil hospital where medical reports confirmed nine injury marks on his body. Prabhjot alleged that policemen had assaulted him and forced him and his friends to drink liquor.

Since then, the Bar Association had been demanding that the ASP, DSP Baljit Pal Singh, one ASI and two head constables be transferred. They gheraoed the SSP office in Bathinda on Monday too.

As per the sources, Bahia too met Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal two days ago and alleged high headedness on the part of the police officials.

IG Bathinda range, Nirmal Singh Dhillon, however, said that he was yet to receive a copy of the transfer orders.

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