In a high profile case, the Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the Punjab & Haryana High Court to hand over an investigation of the alleged attack on an Army Colonel Pushpinder Singh Bath and his son by the Punjab Police officials to the CBI. The Court observed serious lapses such as failure to promptly register FIR and the accused personnel were not arrested, and these aspects raised the question of bias. In declining to intervene, the Court strengthened the fact that independent investigations should be the rule where the actions of state police are doubtful. It also emphasized respect to armed forces and responsibility towards misconduct by the law enforcement. This ruling emphasizes the judicial alertness about the neutrality in sensitive criminal cases.