Bikram Majithia’s relief from SC ends today; will have to surrender before Mohali court

Relief from Supreme Court to veteran Akali Dal leader Bikram Majithia, who is trapped in a drugs case ended on Wednesday, February 23. He will have to surrender before a trial court in Mohali today after which he can file a petition for regular bail. The Punjab government had booked Majithia just before elections in a case of 'international drug conspiracy'. The apex court had stayed his arrest for contesting elections due to the non-availability of bail in this case. 

After the case was registered against Bikram Majithia in December, he had applied for anticipatory bail which was rejected by the Mohali court. He then moved to the Punjab and Haryana High Court but only managed to get a few days of interim relief. Subsequently, the Supreme Court stayed his arrest till February 23 in view of the assembly elections. 

Bikram Majithia versus Sidhu in Punjab elections

This time, Shiromani Akali Dal stalwart Bikram Majithia is contesting against Punjab Congress chief Navjot Sidhu in his Amritsar East Assembly. Earlier, he was a candidate from the Majitha seat. Accepting Sidhu's challenge, the SAD leader entered the contest from Amritsar East and fielded wife Gainev Kaur from the Majithia seat.

Majithia accused of running drug nexus

Serious allegations have been levelled against Majithia in the drugs case. It said that Canadian drug smuggler Satpreet Satta was staying in Amritsar with Majithia's knowledge and also in Chandigarh’s Government Kothi. It is also alleged that Majithia had given him a car and a hitman. It is alleged that the Akali leader was accepting funds from drug smugglers for the elections. He has also been accused of making settlements between drug smugglers. Majithia however rubbished the allegations calling it an act of political vendetta.

The high-stakes battle for Amritsar East

Amritsar East is perceived as a stronghold of Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu who defeated his nearest opponent - BJP's Rakesh Kumar Honey, from here in the previous Assembly election with a margin of 42,809 votes. In the 2012 Assembly polls, his wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu had secured victory in this constituency on a BJP ticket.

Voting in all 117 seats in Punjab Assembly took place on February 20 and the results will be announced on March 10.