SC grants bail to SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia in disproportionate assets case

The Supreme Court of India on Monday granted bail to SAD (Shiromani Akali Dal) leader Bikram Singh Majithia in a disproportionate assets case.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta passed the order while hearing Majithia’s plea challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s decision refusing him bail.

The apex court took note of the fact that Majithia had been in custody in the case for the last seven months.

In its order dated 4 December last year, the High Court had dismissed Majithia’s bail application, observing that the possibility of him influencing the investigation could not be ruled out. While doing so, it had directed the Punjab Vigilance Bureau to complete its probe within three months, after which Majithia could seek bail.

The Vigilance Bureau had arrested Majithia on 25 June last year in connection with the disproportionate assets case, which allegedly involves the accumulation of assets worth around Rs 540 crore.

The FIR against Majithia stems from an ongoing investigation being conducted by a Punjab Police special investigation team in a 2021 drugs case.

During the hearing before the Supreme Court, senior advocate S. Muralidhar, appearing for Majithia, submitted that the petitioner had earlier been granted bail in a case registered under the NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) Act, 1985.

He further pointed out that the apex court had dismissed the Punjab government’s plea challenging the grant of bail to Majithia in the NDPS case.

Majithia has denied the allegations against him.