New Delhi, Aug 4 (UNI) The Supreme Court today came down heavily on the conduct of Punjab police officers accused of assaulting a serving Army Colonel and his son, while upholding the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s decision to hand over the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
A bench comprising Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma dismissed a special leave petition filed by the four police officers challenging the High Court’s July 16 order.
The High Court had ordered a CBI probe after observing that the state police failed to conduct a fair investigation, even after the initial inquiry was entrusted to a senior officer.
According to the complainant, a serving Army Colonel, he and his son were brutally beaten by the police personnel at an eatery during their travel from Delhi to Patiala.
The altercation reportedly began after they declined to move their vehicle while eating. The Colonel further alleged that no FIR was filed for several days despite multiple complaints, suggesting an attempt by state authorities to shield the accused officers.
The top court expressed strong disapproval of the police’s conduct and the delay in action.
Justice Sharma observed, “When the war is going on, you glorify Army officers… but when they face injustice, no one acts. The SSP claims he can’t arrest them despite the rejection of anticipatory bail just because they are police officers. This lawlessness is unacceptable.”
He further rebuked the State’s inaction, highlighting, “You sleep peacefully at home because that man is serving on the border at minus 40 degrees. Yet, his complaint isn’t even registered in time.”
Though the Court initially expressed an intention to impose heavy costs on the petitioners, it refrained from doing so in the final order.
Justice Kumar also remarked pointedly, “If you have nothing to hide, why are you afraid of an independent investigation?”
Despite a High Court order earlier assigning the investigation to Chandigarh SP Manjit, IPS, to conclude the probe in four months, no arrests were made.
Dissatisfied with the progress and fairness of the investigation, the High Court finally transferred the matter to the CBI.
With the Supreme Court’s dismissal of the police officers’ challenge, the CBI will now proceed with the probe into the alleged assault.
