Have respect for Army: SC affirms CBI probe against Punjab police for alleged assault of Colonel

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday decried the conduct of Punjab police officials, who allegedly assaulted a serving Army colonel and his son, and affirmed the High Court's order for the CBI investigation into the case.

"Have some respect for Army people. You are sleeping peacefully in your house because that man is serving the border at -40 degrees,” a bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Satish Chandra Sharma said.

The court declined to consider a plea by police officers against the Punjab and Haryana High Court's order directing the transfer of the investigation into the alleged assault on a Army colonel, Pushpinder Singh Bath and his son over a parking dispute outside a dhaba in Patiala with Punjab Police personnel to the CBI.

Previously, the High Court had entrusted the investigation to the Chandigarh Police.

Terming the High Court’s order as “well-reasoned”, the bench said the CBI will investigate the matter, rejecting the arguments this thas indicted the officials even before the trial could begin.

"When the war is going on, the Army officers are glorified,' the bench said, referring to a statement by a senior police official stating that he is not able to arrest the accused personnel, in spite of rejection of anticipatory bail because the accused are police officers.

“Eight days delay in lodging FIR? Have respect for Army people. You are sleeping peacefully in your house because that man is serving the border at -40 degrees...We are going to dismiss this with heavy cost,” the bench said.

The court said it is not willing to accept this kind of lawlessness as the officials' bail was dismissed, but they are roaming freely, and they have not been arrested.

"If they have nothing to hide, then they should not feel shy of independent inquiry," the bench asked the counsel,.appearing for Harjinder Singh Dhillon and others.

In the case, the High Court had observed that there is no material to show that the investigation is being carried out in a fair manner, while transferring the probe to the CBI.

The incident took place on the intervening night of March 13-14, 2025. It was alleged that an Army officer and his son were beaten up by four Punjab police officers because they refused to move their cars while they were having food at the eatery, while travelling from Delhi to Patiala.