Court defers Bikram Majithia’s bail application

A local court on Wednesday deferred the hearing on former Punjab minister Bikram Singh Majithia’s bail plea until Thursday while granting relief to his legal advisor, advocate Bikramjit Singh Bath, in a case related to the alleged storming of the Majitha police station to secure the release of a supporter, Jobanpreet Singh.

Amanbir Singh Sayali, counsel for the defence, said the Special Investigating Team (SIT) constituted to probe the case submitted a written statement before the court stating that Bath had visited the police station in his capacity as Majithia’s legal advisor and was therefore not required in the investigation. He added that the court declared Bath innocent in the case, following which his bail application was withdrawn.

Apart from Majithia, several of his close associates and supporters, including advocate Bikramjit Singh Bath, Sahib Hamza, Raja Ladeh and Jodh Singh Samra, were named in the FIR along with several unidentified persons.

The case was registered on charges including assaulting a public servant while performing official duty, obstructing a public servant, snatching, rescuing a person from lawful custody, destruction or concealment of evidence, criminal intimidation, unlawful assembly and rioting. Provisions of the Arms Act were also invoked.

According to the FIR, Majithia allegedly arrived at the Majitha police station with more than 50 supporters while the police were questioning Jobanpreet Singh. The police alleged that the group entered the premises without authorisation, accessed restricted areas and attempted to escort Jobanpreet Singh from an interrogation room towards the main gate. The attempt was allegedly foiled following police intervention.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), however, rejected the allegations and claimed that Jobanpreet Singh, who served as a party polling agent during the recent municipal elections, was being illegally detained at an SHO’s official residence rather than in a police lock-up. The party described the FIR as a “fabricated” case intended to target its leaders.

A day after the FIR was registered, police teams conducted raids at several locations linked to Majithia, including his residences in Amritsar and Chandigarh.

On Tuesday, Majithia moved the Amritsar District Court seeking protection from arrest and bail in the case.