Chandigarh, July 4: The petition filed by senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader and former minister Bikram Singh Majithia, who was arrested in the disproportionate assets case in Punjab, was heard in the Punjab and Haryana High Court today on June 4. But he did not get relief from the court.
The government lawyer said that Majithia’s lawyers had filed an application, but it was not legally correct. Therefore, they have withdrawn that application. At the same time, Majithia’s lawyers said that the remand order that came yesterday had June 6 written in it, while the order that came this morning had July 6 written in it. In such a situation, the hearing could not proceed. Now the next hearing of the case will be on July 8.
Majithia alleges illegal custody, Politically motivated case
Majithia’s petition has termed the arrest as illegal and demanded the cancellation of the remand order. Majithia alleges that he has been kept in police custody wrongly. On June 25, around 9 am, the police reached his house in Amritsar. But he was kept in illegal custody till 11.20. He has called the case politically motivated. Akali Dal says that this case has been registered on the basis of the rejected report. Which was cancelled by the Supreme Court. The lawyers of Punjab government had presented the same facts in the apex court also.
Earlier on July 2, Majithia was produced before the court after his 7-day remand ended. The court heard that the vigilance department has brought forth new facts about his property during the investigation. It also said that the matter has to be investigated by going to Gorakhpur in UP. The court has given him a four-day remand after hearing all the facts. His remand is ending on Sunday.
Know the story from the arrest till now in 9 points
1. Arrest from Amritsar on 25 June
The Vigilance Bureau registered a case of disproportionate assets of Rs 540 crore related to drug money at 4:30 am on June 25. After this, raids were conducted at 26 places in the state at places related to Majithia. Then after 11:30 am, Majithia was arrested from his house in Amritsar. During this, 29 mobile phones, 5 laptops, 3 iPads, 2 desktops, 8 diaries and other documents were claimed to be recovered. It was claimed that these were recovered from Majithia.
2. Mohali court gave 7 days remand
On 26th June, the Vigilance Bureau presented Majithia in the Mohali court. But, during this time, the Vigilance did not allow Majithia to appear in front of the media. For the first time, 4 gates were closed and the general public was stopped till 2 o’clock and then Majithia was presented. Police from 3 districts were deployed there. Also, the Akali workers who reached there were detained. During this time, the Vigilance sought 12 days remand in the court, but they got only 7 days.
3. Former DGP recorded his statement
On 27 June, former DGP Siddharth Chattopadhyay entered the case. He reached the Punjab Police office in Chandigarh and recorded his statement. He said that in 2021, when he was posted as DGP, an NDPS case was registered against Majithia. In such a situation, I have recorded my statement with the Vigilance, I have told them the entire history of the case, because this case is based on the same matter.
4. Statement of former ED director
On June 28, former ED deputy director Niranjan Singh reached the vigilance headquarters and recorded his statement. He said that in 2013, when the money laundering case related to drug trafficking was investigated, he had questioned about 41 people. At that time, Jagdish Bhola and others, accused in the drug trafficking case, had taken Majithia’s name in their statement. I have told everything to the vigilance. Now the vigilance can ask for this statement from the ED.
5. Bonny Ajnala also came against Majithia
On 29th June, former MLA Bonny Ajnala went to the Vigilance office and recorded his statement. He said that he has come here after telling about the letter he had written to the then CM Prakash Singh Badal and DGP in 2013. He claimed that Bikram Majithia had introduced Satta and Pindi, who are involved in drug smuggling, to him at his home by calling them his close friends. On the same day in the evening, Majithia’s former PA and Aam Aadmi Party leader Dalbir Gill recorded his statement. He said that he has told all his information to the Vigilance.
6. Vigilance took him to Shimla
On June 30, teams of the Vigilance Bureau took Majithia to various places in Punjab and Himachal to identify suspicious properties. The Vigilance Bureau alleges that Majithia did not cooperate in the investigation, due to which he has got into trouble.
Maninder Singh alias Bittu and Jagjit Singh Chahal have recorded their statements. They said that they had good relations with Majithia till 2010. At the same time, they said that the drug case should also be investigated again. On the other hand, former CM Charanjit Singh Channi said that he is also ready to record his statement against Majithia to the Vigilance.
7. NCB entered
On July 2, it came to light that now the NCB will also investigate this case. The NCB has sought records about the case from the Punjab Vigilance Bureau. The Punjab government opposed this and said that by doing this the central government is trying to save its old partner party leader Bikram Singh Majithia.
Apart from this, raids were conducted in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Chandigarh simultaneously for Majithia. Police even went to Amritsar with Majithia. Meanwhile, Majithia has filed a petition in the High Court challenging his remand.
8. Got four more days of remand
On July 2, the vigilance presented Majithia in the Mohali court after the completion of his 7-day remand. The vigilance said that Majithia is not cooperating in the investigation. There is very little mention of the Shimla property in the papers, but it is a very large part. There is a farmhouse named ‘Sainik Farm’ in Delhi.
It was first auctioned but later bought again by Majithia’s father. It was bought when Majithia was a minister in the Punjab government. A society named ‘Green Avenue’ has been developed in Jalandhar, in which Majithia’s wife has a 25% share. At the same time, the current price of Sainik Farm is estimated to be hundreds of crores. Apart from this, there is also property in Gorakhpur. He has to be taken there as well. In such a situation, a remand of 4 days has been granted.
9. Hearings were held in the High Court
The petition filed by Bikram Singh Majithia regarding remand was heard in the High Court. But the hearing was postponed as the remand copy did not reach the court. Fresh orders will reach the court today. After this, the case will be heard in the court.