New Delhi: In a significant development in the disproportionate assets case against Shiromani Akali Dal leader and former Punjab minister Bikram Singh Majithia, the Supreme Court has denied him immediate relief. The court postponed the hearing on his bail plea to February 2, granting the government two weeks to file its response.
During the proceedings, Majithia’s counsel sought interim bail, citing safety concerns in jail. The bench acknowledged these issues but deferred any decision until the next hearing. Majithia, arrested on June 25 last year following raids at his Amritsar residence and 25 other locations, remains in Nabha Jail under judicial custody since July 6.
Vigilance teams seized digital devices, property documents, and financial records during the operations. He was initially remanded for seven days, extended by four more. The 40,000-page charge sheet filed on August 22 lists over 200 witnesses and stems from a 2013 probe into a massive synthetic drug racket worth Rs 6,000 crore.
Though drug-related charges were later dropped, the current case focuses on corruption and money laundering. Investigations across Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi revealed Majithia’s assets worth Rs 700 crore deemed illegal. Statements from Akali Dal and BJP leaders feature prominently in the report.
The Vigilance Bureau maintains it submitted the charge sheet on time. As the case unfolds, all eyes are on the Supreme Court’s next move on February 2, which could determine Majithia’s immediate future.