Did Punjab Vigilance Bureau Raid Akali Leader Majithia's Home in Drug Case?

Chandigarh, June 25 (NationPress) The Punjab Vigilance Bureau executed a raid on the private residence of Bikram Singh Majithia, the former minister of the Shiromani Akali Dal, located in Amritsar as part of an ongoing drug investigation.

Since December 2021, he has been facing allegations under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, coinciding with the Assembly elections.

A government representative stated that the raid is part of the Bhagwant Mann administration's significant campaign against drug-related activities. A contingent of 30 vigilance officials, including senior personnel, arrived at the residence while Majithia and his family were present.

Majithia, who is related to Sukhbir Badal, the President of the Shiromani Akali Dal, filed a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2022 after the Mohali trial court rejected his anticipatory bail request linked to the NDPS case initiated on December 20, 2021.

According to a comprehensive 49-page FIR lodged by the state police's Crime Branch at the Mohali police station, the SAD leader has been charged under sections 25, 27A, and 29 of the NDPS Act.

In his plea, Majithia claimed the case is a product of political vendetta and maintained that there is no credible or legally admissible evidence against him.

Nonetheless, the court granted interim bail, permitting the Special Investigation Team to question Majithia.

The High Court remarked that there was insufficient evidence demonstrating possession, transportation, or storage of contraband by Majithia.

“All recoveries in concluded trials were made from specific individuals, and the petitioner was not identified as involved,” it noted, referencing convictions related to drug seizures involving Jagdish Bola and others.

However, the High Court clarified in its 26-page ruling that its opinion was preliminary and intended solely for the purpose of addressing his bail request, and should not be interpreted as a final judgment.

In March 2025, the Supreme Court instructed Majithia to appear before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in Patiala after it was reported that he was not cooperating with the investigation. Nonetheless, in April, the Supreme Court dismissed the Punjab government’s petition challenging the bail granted to Majithia.

“The respondent (Majithia) was actively participating in the further investigation. Considering the facts and acknowledging that the liberty was granted on August 10, 2022, over two-and-a-half years ago, we are presently disinclined to interfere with the contested order. Consequently, the SLP is dismissed,” stated a Bench including Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Aravind Kumar, rejecting the state’s petition.