A court in Mohali on Saturday extended the judicial custody of senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia until August 2 in connection with an alleged money laundering case.
Majithia, a former Punjab minister, was brought before the court after completing his 14-day judicial remand. He had been sent to custody on July 6, following his arrest in a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Earlier, the court had remanded him until today.
Ongoing Legal Battle
In a separate proceeding, Majithia had approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court to challenge his arrest. During a hearing on July 8, his counsel sought additional time to amend the bail petition, citing errors in the original submission. The High Court accepted the request and granted three weeks to revise the plea. The case will now be taken up again on July 29.
Arrest & Custody Timeline
Majithia was arrested by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau on June 25 after searches were conducted at his residence in Amritsar. He was transferred to Mohali the following day, where a local court initially placed him in seven-day custody under the Vigilance Bureau. His remand was later extended by four more days before he was shifted to judicial custody on July 6.
He is currently being held at New Nabha Jail, as confirmed by Special Public Prosecutor Ferry Sofat, who added that the court approved the state’s request for further judicial remand. The prosecutor also noted that the bail application submitted earlier had inconsistencies, which is why it must be resubmitted.
Political Reactions & Allegations
The arrest has drawn sharp criticism from the Shiromani Akali Dal. Party spokesperson and senior leader Daljit Singh Cheema denounced the heavy police deployment during Majithia’s court appearances and compared the situation to the Emergency era.
“This government wants to defame the Akali Dal leadership by spreading lies and false propaganda. This is vendetta politics,” Cheema alleged, accusing the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of targeting opposition leaders for political gain.
Background Of The Case
Majithia’s arrest is reportedly linked to disproportionate assets and alleged financial irregularities tied to earlier drug-related investigations. While the latest case pertains to money laundering, it stems from broader corruption allegations involving misuse of power during his ministerial tenure.
The case is being closely watched, not just for its legal outcome, but also for its potential impact on Punjab’s political landscape, especially amid ongoing tensions between AAP and SAD.
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