New Delhi: 

It is a “disturbing trend” in the country that police officers side with the ruling party, the Supreme Court said today, delivering a sharp message at a time there have been allegations of politically-motivated investigations in several states.

“Police officers who want to be in the good books of the ruling party misuse power and harass political opponents,” a Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice NV Ramana said, asserting that police officers must stick to the rule of law.

It is the police who should be held responsible for the trend, the Supreme Court said, hearing the petition of a Chhattisgarh police officer who was suspended and charged with sedition.

Gurjinder Pal Singh, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, has requested the court to cancel FIRs charging him with corruption and conspiracy against the Chhattisgarh government.

The Supreme Court directed the Chhattisgarh government not to arrest the officer, who was also charged with illegal wealth far more than his known sources of income after raids earlier this year.