"If you give so much power to bureaucracy, it'll be misused": Advocate Phoolka on Patiala colonel assault case

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], March 22 : After the alleged assault on Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath by Punjab Police personnel, Advocate HS Phoolka on Saturday raised alarm over the growing misuse of power within law enforcement, criticizing the unchecked authority granted to police forces.
Speaking to ANI, Phoolka called for stricter oversight and control over the police to prevent further misuse of power.
"If you keep the law aside and do something, if you give so much power to the bureaucracy that they don't fear any law then it will be misused. In the name of controlling militants, how much hooliganism did the Police do and how innocent people were arrested, it is all in front of there. What happened to Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath is the result of this. You gave full freedom to the Police, they should be controlled," he 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.