NDPS case: SAD chief Bikram Singh Majithia given anticipatory bail by means of HC, requested to enroll in investigation

By means of PTI

CHANDIGARH: SAD chief Bikram Singh Majithia, going through arrest in an NDPS case, involving sale, acquire and production of gear amongst different offences, used to be on Monday granted anticipatory bail by means of the Punjab and Haryana Prime Court docket.

A bench of Justice Lisa Gill, alternatively, requested the SAD chief to enroll in investigation with the police.

Whilst granting Majithia the pre-arrest bail, Justice Gill additionally requested him to to not depart the rustic until the following date of listening to and proportion his reside location with the investigating company via WhatsApp.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief’s suggest, Damanbir Singh Sobti, mentioned Majithia will sign up for the investigation at 11 am on Wednesday.

“Within the tournament of his arrest, petitioner might be launched on intervening time bail until the following date of listening to to the pride of Investigating / arresting Officer,” Justice Gill mentioned in within the order.

“…maintaining in view the information and instances, it is thought of as expedient at this level, that the petitioner on the first example, must sign up for investigation,” he added.

Accordingly, it’s directed that the petitioner must seem ahead of the Investigating Officer on January 12 at 11 am.

“He shall absolutely cooperate within the investigation of this situation,” he added.

The 46-year-old SAD chief used to be booked below the Narcotic Medicine and Psychotropic Ingredients (NDPS) Act final month.

He had moved the prime courtroom for anticipatory bail after a Mohali courtroom pushed aside his pre-arrest bail plea on December 24.

Checklist the subject for additional listening to on January 18, the pass judgement on mentioned, “Remember that, the prevailing intervening time order is with out prejudice to the precise of the prosecution to press for custodial interrogation, if required.”

Senior suggest P Chidambaram along side state suggest common represented the Punjab govt whilst senior suggest Mukul Rohtagi and RS Cheema represented the petitioner.

Listening to happened via video conferencing on account of Covid-19.

Justice Lisa Gill directed that the petitioner shall additional seem ahead of the investigating company as and when required and shall supply his cell quantity to it which might be to be had and switched on all the time.

“Petitioner shall indirectly or not directly attempt to touch any of the witnesses or somebody attached with the case in any method,” mentioned the order whilst directing Majithia to abide by means of those prerequisites.

Previous, Majithia’s suggest Sobti mentioned, “After seeing the entire data, the prime courtroom gave instructions that it is a case the place he can sign up for the investigation and when he joins the investigation, he might not be arrested.”

Replying to a query, Sobti mentioned sure “further information” have been dropped at the courtroom’s realize, claiming that former Punjab DGP Siddharth Chattopadhyaya had promoted Assistant Inspector Basic Balraj Singh’s son Princepreet Singh from the rank of sub-inspector to that of inspector by means of the usage of particular powers.

Balraj Singh is the pinnacle of the particular investigation group this is probing the case towards Majithia.

The SAD has been alleging that the FIR towards Majithia is a results of “political vendetta”.

Reacting to the comfort granted to Majithia, SAD leader Sukhbir Singh Badal, in a tweet, mentioned “justice prevails”, whilst his spouse Harsimrat Kaur Badal mentioned “fact at all times triumphs, regardless of how large the lie is”.

Majithia is the brother-in-law of Sukhbir Singh Badal and the brother of former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal.

Reacting to the advance, Punjab Leader Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, in Moga, mentioned intervening time bail does now not imply the case is over and Majithia can have to enroll in the probe on Wednesday.

The previous Punjab minister used to be booked below the NDPS Act at the foundation of a 2018 document of a probe into the drug racket within the state.

The document used to be filed by means of anti-drug particular activity pressure (STF) leader Harpreet Singh Sidhu within the Punjab and Haryana Prime Court docket in 2018.

The 49-page FIR within the subject used to be registered by means of the state Crime Department at its Mohali police station.

Majithia used to be booked below sections 25 (punishment for permitting one’s premises for its use for the fee of an offence), 27A (for financing sale, acquire, manufacturing, manufacture, ownership, transportation, use or intake, import and export or any act relating narcotics) and 29 (abetting or plotting an offence) of the NDPS Act.

In his bail plea, the SAD chief had submitted that the Congress govt in Punjab had “left no stone unturned to misuse its powers and place for wreaking vengeance upon its political warring parties”.

The Channi govt had come below assault from the Aam Aadmi Birthday party or even from state Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu for now not with the ability to arrest Majithia, even though the police had carried out raids to nab him.

Pictures of Majithia, appearing him on the Golden Temple, had additionally long past viral on social media.

Punjab House Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, alternatively, had dubbed the pictures as “faux”.