Will Bikram Majithia’s drug case break Punjab’s cycle of political immunity?

The filing of a 40,000-page charge-sheet against Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia, along with the inclusion of Canada-based drug-smuggler Satpreet Singh Thiara, alias Satta, in the Majithia’s case, marks a major development in Punjab’s long-running investigations into drug trafficking and money laundering. The case brings the probe full circle to the Bhola drug racket of 2013-14, where Majithia’s name first surfaced.

But a side-story of this case is that though Majithia is the first top politician to face a major case of drug smuggling, many politicians in Punjab, including former chief ministers, have faced massive corruption allegations in the past, yet none of them were ever convicted. Cops and witnesses changed their statements with the change of government in the past.

Satta, originally from Banga village in Nawanshahr, is accused of playing a key role in the international drug syndicate that operated in Punjab between 2007 and 2013. He allegedly facilitated the import and distribution of pseudoephedrine, a chemical used to manufacture methamphetamine. A Blue Corner Notice was issued recently by Interpol to help locate and gather information about Satta’s activities.

Statements recorded by the Enforcement Directorate and Punjab Police revealed that Satta stayed at Majithia’s residence during his visits and allegedly received logistical support, including vehicles and security. Some accused claimed Satta even attended Majithia’s wedding reception in 2016. However, Majithia denied all allegations, calling them politically motivated.

Also, in 2014, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising three senior IPS officers submitted a multi-thousand-page report to the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The SIT concluded that investigations could not establish any direct political links in their operations. The report was based on detailed analysis of log books of vehicles belonging to Majithia, which showed no record of their use by the accused during the relevant period.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government revived the case after coming to power in 2022. Majithia was arrested in June in a disproportionate assets case involving alleged laundering of Rs 540 crore of drug money. The Vigilance Bureau claimed that Majithia acquired assets worth Rs 700 crore, far exceeding his known sources of income.

AAP terms the move as part of its anti-drug campaign, while the Shiromani Akali Dal accused the government of vendetta politics.

However, a major question is whether this case will lead to a conviction or simply remain in the headlines, its fate shifting with changes in government. Punjab has seen this pattern before. Between 2003 and 2017, the state witnessed a bitter political rivalry between the Badal family and the Congress, particularly between Captain Amarinder Singh and Parkash Singh Badal. Both sides filed corruption cases against each other, but none resulted in convictions. Investigations were often influenced by who held power, with police officers and witnesses changing positions depending on the ruling party.

In 2003, the Amarinder Singh’s government filed a case against Parkash Singh Badal, Sukhbir Singh Badal and others, accusing them of accumulating disproportionate assets and owning benami properties. The FIR was registered under various sections of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act. The case went to trial, but after the Badals returned to power in 2007, many prosecution witnesses turned hostile.

In 2008, the Badal-led government retaliated with a corruption case against Amarinder Singh over land exemption in Amritsar, allegedly causing a loss of Rs 360 crore to the state. Though a Vidhan Sabha committee found the exemption illegal, the case was withdrawn in 2016, sparking speculation of a political understanding between the two camps. AAP leaders criticised the move, accusing both the Congress and Akali Dal of shielding each other. Despite the seriousness of these allegations, none of the cases led to convictions.

Will Majithia’s case be a new addition to Punjab’s long history of political cases that go nowhere?