The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday (May 23, 2025) dismissed the anticipatory bail application of one of the twelve accused, who allegedly assaulted an Army officer and his son in March this year in Punjab’s Patiala over a parking dispute.
Dismissing bail to the petitioner, Justice Anoop Chitkara in his order on May 23, said “The prime duty of the police is not to instil fear in the minds of public using unwarranted force but to secure observance of law and order and to bring that goal to fruition, a pre-requisite is adherence to and respect for legal framework itself. It is common knowledge that the majority of the people, especially the poor, downtrodden, and illiterate, have been deeply conditioned to be afraid of the police, harbouring a fear of them in the hearts of hearts. It is behaviour like that as seen in the present case, exhibited by a thin minority of officials, which inspires such fear and terror and is exemplary of incidents fuelling such narratives. On the contrary, the purpose of the police force is to impartially, without fear or favour, and without biases, take care of its people, with sensitivity, affection, empathy and kindness on the one hand; while being firm, honest and astute on the other, using reasonable force when it is inevitable to control hooliganism and criminality.”
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Inspector Ronnie Singh, who was among others suspended and booked under cognisable and non-bailable sections including 109, 310, 115(2), 117(1), 117(2), 126(2), 351(2) and 190 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in the case had approached the High Court for anticipatory bail. The incident occurred on the intervening night of March 13-14, in which Colonel Pushpinder Bath and his son were allegedly assaulted by police officials. Notably, the FIR was registered days after public outrage. Later, the High Court handed over the case from the Punjab Police to a new Special Investigating Team (SIT) of Chandigarh (Union Territory) Police.
Justice Chitkara added the most disturbing aspect of this incident is that the accused, well aware of their duties as serving police officers despite coming to know through the identity card of the victim that he was a colonel in the Indian army, showed zero signs to stop, snatched his Id card, intimidated him, threatened his life and continued to unsparingly beat him.
“Such conduct of the police team in brutally beating an individual, even after being made aware that he was a serving member of the armed forces, reflects the mindset of some of the police officers in this part of the country. We must not forget so early that this region is closer to a hostile border, has a history of militancy, and is still battling cross-border narcoterrorism,” he said.
“A perusal of the bail petition and the documents attached primafacie points towards the petitioner’s involvement and does not make out a case for anticipatory bail. The impact of crime would also not justify anticipatory bail,” read the order.
Published – May 24, 2025 08:40 am IST
