Punjab Police raids Majithia's Amritsar home; SAD cries political vendetta
Synopsis
Punjab Police deployed 12 special teams and raided SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia's Amritsar home after a police station clash — the second major police action against him in under a year. The SAD calls it a 'planned operation' by the Punjab government; police say it is a routine investigation. The episode sharpens an already bitter Centre-state political fault line.
Key Takeaways
Punjab Police raided Bikram Singh Majithia's Green Avenue residence in Amritsar on 1 June .
The raid followed a major clash at a local police station and an FIR against Majithia and several SAD workers.
12 special teams were constituted to trace accused persons named in the FIR before the operation was launched.
SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal called the action 'political vendetta' and a 'planned operation by the Punjab government'.
SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal alleged procedural irregularities in how the FIR was registered.
Majithia was previously arrested by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau in June 2025 in a separate case.
Punjab Police conducted an early morning raid on 1 June at the Green Avenue residence of senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia in Amritsar, following a major clash at a local police station and the subsequent registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against him and several Akali Dal workers. The SAD has squarely rejected the police action as politically motivated, calling it a targeted campaign against the Opposition.
What Triggered the Raid
The operation came after a significant political standoff and physical confrontation at a local police station in Amritsar. Following the clash, Amritsar Police registered an FIR naming Majithia and multiple Akali Dal workers as accused. Authorities then constituted 12 special teams to trace those named in the case, culminating in the coordinated early morning search at Majithia's Green Avenue home.
What the SAD Said
SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal accused the ruling dispensation of orchestrating the action for political reasons. 'This is all political vendetta. They are frustrated and misleading people. They put in their full effort in Majithia's constituency, first to cancel votes and then for booth capturing, but still Majithia Sahib won. Now they have made it a prestige issue to put him in jail. This is all a planned operation by the Punjab government,' Badal claimed.
SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal also raised questions about procedural irregularities, alleging that a person held in alleged illegal confinement at the SHO's residence — without a warrant or FIR — was only rescued after the fact, and that the FIR against Majithia was registered subsequently. 'After that, an FIR is registered against Majithia,' she alleged.
Punjab Police's Position
The police have maintained that the searches were part of a legitimate, ongoing investigation directly linked to the FIR registered after the police station clash. No official statement contesting the SAD's political vendetta charge has been issued beyond citing the procedural basis for the operation.
A Pattern of Confrontation
The raid is the latest flashpoint in a prolonged standoff between Majithia and the Punjab government. The Akali leader has been at the centre of multiple investigations and legal proceedings in recent years. Notably, in June 2025, he was arrested by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau in connection with a separate enquiry — making the current episode the second major police action against him within roughly a year.
What Happens Next
With the SAD framing the raid as state-sponsored persecution ahead of what could be an escalating political battle in Punjab, the episode is likely to intensify the Opposition's campaign against the ruling government. Legal proceedings arising from the FIR will determine whether Majithia faces formal arrest in this case, and the SAD is expected to mount both a judicial and public challenge to the action.
Point of View
Cries vendetta, and the ruling party insists it is due process. What makes this episode harder to dismiss is the sequencing: an alleged illegal confinement, a belated FIR, and then a multi-team dawn operation. The SAD's claim of political persecution may be self-serving, but the procedural questions raised by Harsimrat Kaur Badal deserve independent scrutiny. Punjab's history of law enforcement being weaponised across party cycles — by the SAD itself when in power — means neither side occupies clean moral ground. The real accountability question is whether courts will examine the FIR's basis or allow the political theatre to drown out due process.
NationPress
8 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Punjab Police raid Bikram Singh Majithia's residence?
Punjab Police raided Majithia's Green Avenue home in Amritsar on 1 June as part of an investigation linked to an FIR registered after a major clash at a local police station. Authorities had constituted 12 special teams to trace the accused named in the case before conducting the early morning search.
What did SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal say about the raid?
Sukhbir Singh Badal called the raid 'political vendetta,' alleging the Punjab government was trying to jail Majithia after failing to defeat him electorally in his own constituency. He described the operation as 'planned' and politically motivated.
What procedural concerns did Harsimrat Kaur Badal raise?
Harsimrat Kaur Badal alleged that a person was held in illegal confinement at the SHO's residence without a warrant or FIR, and that the FIR against Majithia was registered only after this person was rescued — raising questions about the sequence and legitimacy of the case.
Has Bikram Singh Majithia faced police action before?
Yes. In June 2025, Majithia was arrested by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau in connection with a separate enquiry. The current raid marks the second significant police action against him within roughly a year.
What is the Punjab government's stated position on the raid?
Punjab Police have maintained that the searches were part of a legitimate, ongoing investigation tied to the FIR registered after the police station clash, and have not publicly addressed the SAD's political vendetta allegations beyond citing the procedural basis for the operation.
