Why was Punjab’s Bikram Singh Majithia arrested for laundering over Rs 540 crore in drug money?

Chandigarh, June 25 (NationPress) The Punjab Vigilance Bureau apprehended Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and former Minister Bikram Singh Majithia at his home in a luxurious area of Amritsar city, facing allegations of laundering over Rs 540 crore related to drug money.

Investigations conducted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) examining the first information report (FIR) from 2021, alongside the Vigilance Bureau, unveiled extensive laundering activities allegedly orchestrated by Majithia, as stated by the government.

Initial findings indicated that more than Rs 540 crore has been funneled through various methods, including an unaccounted cash deposit of Rs 161 crore into bank accounts of firms owned by Majithia, a channeling of Rs 141 crore through suspected foreign entities, and an excess deposit of Rs 236 crore in company financial reports without proper disclosure.

Moreover, the government asserted that Majithia has acquired both movable and immovable assets without any legitimate income source.

A spokesperson from the Vigilance Bureau informed the media that a case has been filed based on the SIT's report, which is registered under Sections 25, 27-A, and 29 of the NDPS Act, revealing substantial evidence pointing to the extensive laundering of drug money by Majithia.

These transactions are under scrutiny, with indications that the laundered funds were channeled into Saraya Industries, allegedly facilitated by Majithia.

The spokesperson highlighted that the Rs 540 crore drug money tracked so far was illicitly generated, utilizing Majithia's influence as a public servant and a former Cabinet member.

Additionally, assets belonging to Majithia and his wife, Genieve Kaur, have reportedly increased significantly, with no legitimate income source identified.

Search and seizure operations by the SIT involving 22 individuals and the Vigilance Bureau at three locations have resulted in the recovery of over 30 mobile phones, five laptops, three iPads, two desktops, several diaries, and numerous property documents related to Saraya Industries.

Ongoing investigations promise further arrests, searches, and seizures, with the intent to present all gathered evidence before a competent court for judicial review, according to the spokesperson.

Since December 2021, Majithia has faced accusations under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections.

Majithia has consistently claimed that the charges are politically motivated, stating that high-ranking police officials have already investigated these matters. He is the sibling of former Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal and the brother-in-law of SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal.

In response to the raids on Majithia's home, Sukhbir Badal took to X, stating: “The Shiromani Akali Dal remains unwavering in its support for Bikram Singh Majithia. It is evident that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the Aam Aadmi Party are unsettled by Majithia's bold stance against the government and its corrupt practices.”

“We will not be intimidated by the aggressive attempts to silence the voices of the public championed by Majithia and other Akali leaders through state agency actions. This is not the first instance of political vendetta against the Akali leadership. We will confront it directly,” he added.

Reacting to Majithia's arrest, state Cabinet Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal pointed out the severe issue of drug proliferation during the decade-long SAD-BJP alliance (2007–2017), referring to it as a time when the “sixth river of drugs” was said to flow through Punjab.

He recalled testimonies from notorious drug smuggler Jagdish Bhola, who implicated Majithia in court in 2013. Despite such revelations, subsequent governments failed to act while lives were devastated by the ongoing drug crisis.