A contempt petition has been submitted to the Supreme Court against Punjab's Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, and Director General of Police, accusing them of willfully violating and disregarding last year’s order to maintain the status quo at the Shambhu border to avert any "untoward incident."

Sehajpreet Singh, the contempt petitioner, claims that the Punjab Police carried out a "forceful eviction operation" at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders with over 3,000 personnel. Protesters were removed, their camps dismantled, and leaders like Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Sarwan Singh Pandher were detained.

He argues that these actions were taken without the Supreme Court’s permission, despite its status quo order.

The Supreme Court issued the status quo order on July 24, 2024, while hearing Haryana's petition against the Punjab & Haryana High Court's directive to reopen the Shambhu border. The border had been closed in February 2024 to block the movement of protesting farmers from Punjab into Haryana.

In the same order, the Supreme Court also directed Punjab and Haryana to submit phased proposals for removing barricades to ensure the free flow of traffic and address public inconvenience. Later, the Court set up a committee to negotiate with the protesters.

The contempt petition alleges that, under the direction of the State Administration, the Punjab Police used force against the protesting farmers at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders on March 19.

"Contrary to the express orders of this Hon'ble Court, on 19.03.2025, Punjab Police carried out a large-scale police action at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders. The operation, led by senior police officials, involved the use of heavy force, illegal arrest, dismantling of protest sites, and destruction of vehicles of the farmers directly violating the status quo order of this Hon'ble Court. The said incidents of forceful removal of agitating farmers from the protest site by the police officials was on air, over all the media and channels and published in various newspaper," the contempt petition states.

The Supreme Court is already hearing a contempt plea regarding their failure to shift Jagjit Singh Dallewal to the hospital despite his fast-unto-death.

A breakthrough occurred when Dallewal accepted medical aid and agreed to talks with the Union. Following persuasion by the Punjab government, farmers also met Justice (Retired) Nawab Singh, the Chairperson of the Supreme Court-appointed High-Powered Committee for negotiations.

The contempt petition has been filed by Advocate-on-Record Snehpreet Kaur and drafted by Advocate Angrej Singh.