Punjab: High Court to hear Majithia's plea on July 29

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has decided to hear Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia’s petition on July 29. Majithia is seeking relief against his arrest and judicial remand in a disproportionate assets (DA) case, which was filed by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB).

On Tuesday, when the matter came up for hearing, Majithia’s lawyers requested three weeks' time to file an amended petition. The court accepted their request and fixed July 29 as the next date for hearing.

Majithia had earlier approached the High Court after he was arrested in the case and later sent to judicial custody. He has claimed that the case is an example of political harassment by the current state government, saying it is aimed at targeting him because of his strong criticism of the ruling party.

Majithia arrested in ₹540 crore drug-linked assets case

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau arrested Majithia on June 25 in connection with a DA case involving alleged laundering of over ₹540 crore of “drug money”. According to the VB, preliminary investigations found that Majithia was involved in moving large sums of illegal money through various channels.

The latest case is reportedly linked to the ongoing probe into a 2021 drug-related case against Majithia. That earlier case was based on a 2018 report by the anti-drug Special Task Force (STF), which had suggested Majithia’s possible involvement in drug-related activities. He was booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

After being arrested in 2021, Majithia spent more than five months in Patiala jail before being granted bail in August 2022 by the High Court.

In the latest FIR, the Vigilance Bureau claims that Majithia helped launder more than ₹540 crore in drug money. These allegations are now being investigated further by the Punjab Police’s special investigation team.

Majithia's petition: Arrest illegal, politically motivated

In his petition filed before the High Court, Majithia has described the new FIR as “political witch-hunting and vendetta”. He claims that his arrest and remand orders are illegal, and that the police acted in violation of legal procedures.

According to his lawyers, the case was filed with the intention of harassing him because he is a prominent opposition leader and vocal critic of the ruling government. His petition says the arrest is not just unlawful, but also violates his fundamental right to liberty and a fair investigation.

The petition further argues that the FIR is “patently illegal” and that Majithia’s arrest was done without following proper legal process. It raises questions about the abuse of police powers, misuse of remand, and denial of basic legal rights.

Majithia has requested the High Court to quash the remand order and issue necessary directions to prevent further misuse of law by the authorities. His legal team says the case is a classic example of how criminal law can be used to settle political scores.

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Court had earlier sent Majithia to police and judicial custody

After Majithia was arrested by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau on June 25, he was initially sent to seven-day police custody by a Mohali court on June 26. Later, the court extended his remand by four more days on July 2. On July 6, Majithia was sent to judicial custody.

During this period, the Vigilance Bureau reportedly continued its investigation into how the alleged drug money was moved and hidden. Officials are said to be looking into property records, bank accounts, and financial transactions connected to Majithia and people close to him.

The High Court's upcoming hearing on July 29 will examine whether the arrest and remand were legally valid. It will also look into Majithia’s claims that the entire case is politically motivated and lacks proper legal basis.

Background of the case and earlier jail time

This is not the first time Majithia has been under the scanner. In 2021, the Punjab Police had registered a drug case against him under the NDPS Act, based on the Special Task Force’s 2018 report. That report had raised serious concerns about Majithia’s links to drug smuggling networks operating in Punjab.

Following that FIR, Majithia was arrested and spent over five months in Patiala jail. He was later released on bail in August 2022 by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

His current arrest and the new FIR in the DA case appear to be an extension of the earlier investigation, according to the Punjab Vigilance Bureau. They allege that the money made through drug activities was illegally invested and hidden, which forms the basis of the disproportionate assets case.

Majithia has strongly denied all these allegations and maintains that he is being targeted because of his political position. He has called the entire investigation a misuse of power by the state government.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court will now hear Bikram Singh Majithia’s plea on July 29, where he is seeking legal protection against what he claims is an unlawful arrest and political harassment. With allegations involving drug money, corruption, and abuse of law, the case has drawn significant public and political attention in Punjab.

As Majithia’s lawyers prepare to file an amended petition, all eyes will be on the High Court to decide whether the case is a genuine anti-corruption effort or a politically motivated move.