SC pulls up Punjab Police officers in Colonel assault case

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court on Monday came down heavily on the Punjab Police officers who had allegedly assaulted a serving Army Colonel and his son during an altercation over parking at an eatery when they were travelling from Delhi to Patiala, and reminded them that they were sleeping peacefully because Armymen were protecting the borders in adverse conditions.

A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Satish Chandra Sharma dismissed the appeal filed against the Punjab and Haryana HC directing an investigation by CBI in the case. The court said that the HC order was well-reasoned and rejected the plea of the police officers.

"When war is going on, you glorify these Army officers... Have respect for Army people. You are sleeping peacefully in your house because that man is serving at the border at -40 degrees (Celsius)... We are going to dismiss this with heavy cost. This kind of lawlessness is not acceptable. Let CBI look into this... They go and defend you, and they come back wrapped in a national flag," the bench said.

HC had ordered a CBI probe into the alleged assault of Army Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath by Punjab Police personnel in Patiala. It had allowed the plea of Colonel Bath accusing the SIT of "shielding" the accused cops. According to the Colonel, who is currently serving as deputy secretary at the cabinet secretariat, he was a hapless victim of extreme brutality and high handedness of Punjab Police.