In a strong and symbolic observation, the Supreme Court of India on August 2, 2025, emphasized the sacrosanct position of the Indian Armed Forces while refusing to quash a CBI investigation against Punjab police personnel accused of assaulting a serving Army Colonel.

The Court dismissed the plea filed by the Punjab Government and affirmed that disciplinary action and criminal accountability must go hand-in-hand when the dignity of uniformed forces is violated.

A bench led by Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice Sandeep Mehta categorically refused to interfere with the CBI investigation and directed the Punjab Police to cooperate fully with the Central Bureau of Investigation. The bench took serious note of the alleged custodial violence faced by Colonel Rajneesh Gill, who was reportedly assaulted and illegally detained by Punjab Police officers during a routine law and order operation in March 2024.

“We owe our peaceful sleep to the tireless commitment of the Army. Any disrespect or mistreatment towards them is intolerable,” Justice Gavai remarked during the hearing.

Colonel Gill, a serving officer posted with a field unit, had intervened in a local law and order situation in Punjab’s Sangrur district, reportedly to protect civilians. He was allegedly dragged from his vehicle, verbally abused, assaulted, and detained overnight by Punjab Police personnel, despite identifying himself and showing his service credentials.

An initial inquiry by the Army and Ministry of Defence led to formal representations, after which the matter reached the Centre. The Union Government directed the CBI to take over the probe, citing potential bias and non-cooperation by the local police in investigating their own.

The Punjab Government filed a writ petition seeking to set aside the Centre’s notification handing over the investigation to the CBI, arguing that the incident was minor and that their internal inquiry was already underway. However, the Supreme Court flatly rejected the plea, stating that impartiality in such cases is paramount, especially when allegations involve serious abuse of power and disrespect to armed forces personnel.

With the SC’s green light, the CBI will now proceed to examine the FIR, collect forensic evidence, and question senior police officials involved in the incident. The Court has instructed the CBI to submit a preliminary status report within four weeks.

This case isn’t just about an individual officer, the Court stressed. It sends a wider message about the need to uphold the dignity of uniformed services. Assaults on service personnel, especially when carried out by other state authorities, strike at the core of constitutional discipline and unity in the chain of command.

“The Army stands for the nation. If we cannot ensure their protection, we are compromising national integrity,” the bench concluded.