The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday directed Advocate General Maninderjit Singh Bedi to respond to Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia’s petition challenging his arrest and remand in a disproportionate assets case.
Justice Tribhuvan Dahiya adjourned the matter to July 8, declining interim relief. The court also asked the state to clarify the amended remand order submitted by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau.
Majithia’s counsel Arshdeep Singh Kler said the latest remand order, dated July 3, had initially mentioned July 5 as the remand expiry date, but was later revised to July 6. The High Court has now asked for the corrected version to be officially placed on record.
Majithia Calls Case ‘Political Vendetta’
Majithia, arrested on June 25 by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau, is accused of laundering over ₹540 crore in drug-related funds. He was first sent to a seven-day remand on June 26, which was extended by four days on July 2.
On July 1, he moved the High Court, alleging that the case was a politically driven attempt to malign him. The petition terms the FIR under the Prevention of Corruption Act as “illegal” and claims his arrest violated established legal procedures.
“The FIR is rooted in political vendetta and aims to harass the petitioner, a vocal critic of the current regime,” the plea states.
Cites SC Order Denying Custodial Interrogation
The petition also refers to a March 4 Supreme Court order denying custodial interrogation in a related matter, arguing that the current remand is unjustified. It alleges that the investigating agency relied on vague grounds such as Majithia’s “influence” and “foreign connections” without presenting concrete evidence.
Linked To 2021 Drug Case
The disproportionate assets case stems from the ongoing probe into the 2021 drug case, in which Majithia was booked under the NDPS Act. The action was based on findings of a 2018 report by Punjab’s anti-drug Special Task Force. Majithia was earlier jailed for over five months before securing bail in August 2022.
The High Court will next hear the matter on July 8.
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