Punjab governor Gulab Chand Kataria has approved the prosecution of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and former minister Bikram Singh Majithia in a corruption and disproportionate assets case. This approval allows the Vigilance Bureau (VB) to begin criminal proceedings against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The decision comes after the Punjab cabinet, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, recommended action based on the VB’s investigation and legal advice from the state’s advocate general. According to sources, the governor granted the sanction under Section 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Majithia, a senior SAD leader and three-time MLA from Majitha constituency, is accused of amassing huge assets that are allegedly far beyond his known sources of income. The case, which has been under investigation for months, has drawn significant political attention in Punjab.
The Vigilance Bureau has accused Bikram Majithia of possessing assets worth over ₹700 crore, which is 1,200% higher than his declared income. Officials claim that these assets were built using laundered money — about ₹540 crore — allegedly linked to a 2013 drug trafficking network.
Majithia was arrested by the VB on June 25 from his Amritsar residence after simultaneous raids were conducted at more than 25 locations. These raids led to the recovery of several digital devices, property documents, and financial records. Following his arrest, Majithia was sent to seven days of police custody by a Mohali court and later placed in judicial custody on July 6.
According to officials, the VB has filed a detailed 40,000-page chargesheet before the Mohali sessions court. The chargesheet outlines evidence collected during months of investigation, including property ownership details, bank transactions, and electronic data pointing to the alleged laundering of drug money.
The disproportionate assets case is also connected to an earlier investigation into drug trafficking activities in Punjab. Majithia was previously booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in 2021, following a report submitted by the state’s anti-drug task force in 2018.
He spent over five months in Patiala jail in that case before securing bail from the Punjab and Haryana high court in August 2022.
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After months of inquiry, the Vigilance Bureau sought the state government’s permission to prosecute Majithia under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The cabinet’s recommendation was sent to the Raj Bhavan, where the governor finally granted approval for the case to proceed.
With this sanction, the VB can now formally begin prosecution proceedings against Majithia in court. The trial is expected to take place before the Mohali sessions court, where the chargesheet has already been filed.
Majithia, however, has strongly denied all charges, calling them politically motivated. The Shiromani Akali Dal has also condemned the move, saying it is part of a political vendetta by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. Party leaders claim that the state government is misusing its agencies to target opposition leaders.
Despite the allegations, Majithia continues to enjoy strong support within his party and constituency. The SAD leadership has said it will fight the case legally and politically, describing the allegations as “baseless” and “fabricated.”
Legal experts say that the governor’s sanction is a crucial step because, under the Prevention of Corruption Act, prosecution against a public servant cannot begin without prior approval from the competent authority — in this case, the governor.
The Vigilance Bureau, meanwhile, maintains that its investigation was thorough and evidence-based. Officials say they have gathered adequate material proof, including bank statements and land documents, to support the case in court.
The Mohali sessions court will now proceed with framing charges and scheduling hearings. Majithia’s legal team is expected to file fresh applications for bail and challenge parts of the chargesheet.
Sources say that the VB may also call additional witnesses and submit further documentary evidence as the trial progresses. The bureau is likely to argue that Majithia used his political influence to accumulate wealth through illegal means and conceal it under various names.
In contrast, Majithia’s lawyers plan to argue that the assets in question belong to family members and are legally acquired. They are also expected to highlight alleged procedural lapses in the investigation and claim that the case is driven by political motives.
The corruption case adds to the long-standing controversy surrounding Majithia, who has been a key figure in Punjab politics for nearly two decades. Known for his close family ties to SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, Majithia has faced multiple inquiries over alleged links to drug trafficking networks, though he has never been convicted.
Observers believe that this development could have major political implications ahead of future state elections. The case will test both the Vigilance Bureau’s credibility and the government’s claims of transparency and accountability.
With the governor’s sanction now in place, the legal process against Bikram Majithia is expected to accelerate in the coming weeks. The next hearing in the case will likely determine how soon the trial can begin.
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