Drugs case: Bikram Majithia surrenders, sent to Patiala jail

Tribune News Service

Mohali/Patiala, February 24

Senior Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia was today remanded in judicial custody after he surrendered before a local court in connection with a drugs case, complying with the directions of the Supreme Court.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Sandeep Kumar Singla remanded Majithia in judicial custody for two weeks. The Akali leader moved a plea for regular bail, which will be taken up on Friday, said his counsel Arshdeep Singh Kler. The apex court had recently directed the state police to not arrest him till February 23 so that he could campaign in the state.

Quizzed by SIT; bail plea hearing today

• As per SC directions, Majithia surrenders in Mohali court
• SIT quizzes him for over 1 hour; taken to Sangrur jail
• Then shifted to Patiala jail, lodged in ‘VIP cell’

After taking permission of the court, the SIT led by AIG Balraj Singh interrogated Majithia for over an hour. He was then taken to the Civil Hospital for a medical examination before being shifted to the Sangrur jail. Late in the evening, the police took him to the Patiala jail.

Sangrur SP (Jails) Manjit Singh could not be contacted. SAD spokesperson Winnerjit Goldy said, “Majithia has been shifted to Patiala due to security reasons. The government has registered a baseless case against him.”

Majithia, meanwhile, reiterated he had been implicated in the case by the Congress government as an act of political vendetta. A number of SAD supporters led by legislators NK Sharma and Kanwarjit Singh Rozy Barkandi were present in the court complex.

In Patiala, Majithia was given a rousing welcome by Akali workers. He waved at his supporters who raised slogans in his favour. Sources said Majithia had been lodged in a cell meant for VIPs.

The case against the three-time legislator was registered in December last year under various sections of the NDPS Act on the basis of a report of Special Task Force chief Harpreet Singh Sidhu. The latter submitted to the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2018, and since kept under wraps.

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