Bikram Majithia's remand extended till May 4

Mohali, April 19

The judicial remand of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and former minister Bikram Singh Majithia, who has been lodged in the Patiala jail in a drugs case, has been extended till May 4.

Majithia is yet to file an application for regular bail in the higher court after his bail application was rejected by the local court and sent to judicial custody on February 24. He had surrendered before the court after the completion of the election process in Punjab.

During the hearing on April 12, while disposing of the application relating to the threat to Majithia in jail, the court had opined it was the duty of the jail authorities to protect the life and liberty of every prisoner and provide inmates basic amenities as per rules.

The Superintendent, Central Jail, Patiala, has already filed an affidavit that the applicant was being kept under proper security and had been provided all basic amenities. Thus, the jail authorities could not be further directed to provide barrack or amenities as per wishes of the applicant.

The pre-arrest bail plea of Majithia, who was booked under Sections 25 (allowing premises), 27 (A) (financing activities pertaining to narcotic drugs) and 29 (party to criminal conspiracy) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act on December 20 last year, was dismissed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on January 24.