Bikram Singh Majithia granted bail by Punjab & Haryana HC in drugs case; relief for SAD

In a massive relief for Bikram Singh Majithia, the Punjab & Haryana High Court granted bail to the Shiromani Akali Dal general secretary in a drugs-related case on Wednesday. He has been languishing in the Patiala Central Jain since surrendering before a trial court in Mohali on February 24. On May 10, a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices DY Chandrachud and Surya Kant refused to entertain Majithia's bail petition under Article 32. However, it granted him liberty to seek appropriate relief from the High Court. Moreover, it directed that only the division bench of Punjab and Haryana HC will hear this plea. 

The case against Bikram Singh Majithia

Bikram Singh Majithia is the brother-in-law of Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal and a three-time MLA from Majitha who served as a Minister in the SAD-BJP government. Amid unrelenting pressure from ex-Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu to take action on the drug mafia, an FIR was registered against Majithia at the Punjab State Crime Police Station on December 20, 2021. He was booked under Sections 25, 27A and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs And Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act based on a report submitted by the Special Task Force headed by IGP Harpreet Singh Sidhu.

Apart from SAD, AAP as well as Captain Amarinder Singh contended that this was a false case filed on the eve of the Punjab elections. A copy of the FIR accessed by Republic TV alleges, "Evaluation of the statements of (businessman) Jagjit Singh Chahal before the Enforcement Directorate reveal that a payment of rupees 35 lakhs was allegedly made to Sh. Bikram Singh Majithia in about 7-8 installments between 2007 to 2012 as he required these funds for election purpose. At this time, Jagjit Singh Chahal was allegedly involved in manufacturing/supply of illegal drugs/substances". 

Initially, Additional Sessions Judge Sandeep Kumar Singla rejected his anticipatory bail plea citing that the extent of the complicity of the applicant needs to be thoroughly investigated which can be done only under custodial interrogation. A single-judge bench of Punjab & Haryana HC too dismissed his petition. However, the SC granted him interim protection from arrest until February 23 but asked him to surrender thereafter. Both he and Sidhu failed to win the Amritsar East seat which was wrested by AAP's Jeevanjyot Kaur. Incidentally, Sidhu too was sent to the same jail in May after being convicted by the SC in a road rage case.