SC dismisses govt plea against bail to Majithia

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed the Punjab Government’s petition challenging the bail granted to Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on August 10, 2022, in a drugs case.

“The respondent (Majithia) was participating in the process of further investigation. In view of the said facts and also taking note that the liberty was granted on August 10, 2022, more than 2.5 years ago, at present we are not inclined to interfere with the impugned order. Accordingly, the SLP stands dismissed,” a Bench led by Justice JK Maheswari said.

The court asked Majithia to file an affidavit within a week undertaking not to make any statement to the media about the case. It also asked the STF to seek its prior approval before making any public statement in connection with the case.

The Bench granted liberty to the STF to seek cancellation of Majithia’s bail if he attempted to influence witnesses or the trial in the case.

Majithia, brother-in-law of SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and brother of former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, was booked on the basis of a 2018 STF report on a drug racket in the state. The STF report was based on confessional statements given to the Enforcement Directorate by some accused.

Majithia walked out of the Patiala jail on bail on August 10, 2022, after more than five months with the Punjab and Haryana High Court saying there were “reasonable grounds” to believe that he was not guilty.

However, the high court had clarified that its observation was only for deciding the bail application and the trial court should proceed independently of the observations made by it.

The Punjab Government had sought cancellation of Majithia’s bail on the ground that he was not cooperating in the investigation and was refusing to respond to queries of the probe agency.