Chandigarh, 10 January: The Punjab and Haryana High Court Monday granted interim bail to Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia. A detailed order in the matter was yet to be released by the HC.
Seeking anticipatory bail before the HC, Majithia through his counsels has contended that to target him is one of the major election planks of the current government.
“It is more than apparent that the present FIR has been registered against the petitioner keeping an eye on the forthcoming elections. The petitioner’s fundamental rights are at stake,” the petition read.
The case against Majithia was registered on December 20 under sections of 25 (Allowing premises, etc., to be used for commission of an offence), 27 A (Financing illicit traffic and harbouring offenders) and section 29 (abetment and criminal conspiracy) of The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
The offences committed under Section 27 of the NDPS are non-bailable. A Mohali court had rejected Majithia’s anticipatory bail plea. He had then approached Punjab and Haryana High Court where his plea would be heard again on January 10.
Almost a fortnight after the case was filed against Majithia was booked, photos purportedly of the former minister paying obeisance at the Golden Temple went viral on social media on Januray 2, triggering a political storm in Punjab.
Following this, the current government under Charanjit Singh Channi was attacked for failing to arrest Majithia, and the police officers appeared divided over whether the photos were new or old.
