SC Directs Bikram Singh Majithia to Appear Before SIT in Drugs Case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and former minister Bikram Singh Majithia to appear before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in connection with a drugs case filed against him.

Court’s Directive

A bench comprising Justices JK Maheshwari and Aravind Kumar directed Majithia to appear before the SIT in Patiala at 11 AM on March 17. The court further stated that if further investigation is required, he must continue to cooperate.

The Punjab government had moved the Supreme Court, alleging that Majithia was refusing to cooperate with the probe.

Majithia's Stand

Majithia denied the allegations, claiming he was being politically harassed. He requested the court to fix specific dates for interrogation.

However, Punjab’s Advocate General Gurminder Singh pointed out that cooperation in the investigation was a condition for bail, and Majithia was legally bound to comply.

Background of the Case

• Majithia was booked based on a 2018 report by the anti-drug Special Task Force (STF) investigating a drug racket in Punjab.
• The report included confessional statements from key accused individuals, including Jagjit Singh Chahal, Jagdish Singh Bhola, and Maninder Singh Aulakh, provided to the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
• Majithia was granted bail by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on August 10, 2022, after spending over five months in Patiala jail.
• The high court noted that there were "reasonable grounds" to believe he was not guilty, but emphasized that the trial court should decide independently.

Next Steps

Majithia must appear before the SIT on March 17 at 11 AM, failing which he could face legal consequences, including the possibility of bail cancellation.