Chandigarh, March 10 -- Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal, known for his humane judgments and balanced approach, retired from the Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday. Born into a family of agriculturists in Ludhiana in 1964, he started his practice in 1992 at the high court and remained associated with the Punjab advocate general's office between 1995 and 2014, the last being as additional advocate general when he was elevated as additional judge in September 2014. Throughout his over twelve year judicial career, justice Grewal earned respect for his independent views and proactive approach, which often demonstrated sensitivity toward societal issues, said Bar body president Sartej Singh Narula. "Justice Grewal is respected for his balanced approach, clarity of thought, and deep commitment to justice, his judgments reflect fairness, wisdom, and a strong sense of responsibility towards the public, litigant and the justice delivery system. His judgments ensured police accountability, social justice and administrative fairness," Narula said in his speech at a function to mark justice Grewal's retirement. Judges also organised a farewell tea party at the high court after the event. Justice Grewal judgments stood out for their safeguarding the interests of commoners. In 2025, his bench stayed the land pooling policy of the Punjab government, observing that it appears to bypass safeguards meant to protect landowners. The suo motu proceedings in the two interviews of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, and the resultant gangster culture and police role, were examined by the bench presided over by justice Grewal since 2023 till his retirement. His bench also took up suo motu proceedings in the broad daylight killing of a kabaddi player in Mohali in January and alleged encounter of Ranjit Singh in Gurdaspur district in February. There are many judgments that show his sensitivity, recalled Narula. Upon his intervention, a finance company not only waived part of the debt of two children, who had lost their parents and were about to lose their home, but also offered to finance their education, recalled another lawyer. Justice Grewal also dealt with many high-profile cases. One such case related to the Dhingra Commission report looking into land deals in Haryana during former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda's tenure. Here, justice Grewal had given a dissenting opinion observing that the commission's report be quashed and that the state may appoint the commission afresh...