CHANDIGARH: In what could spell out more trouble for Shiromani Akali Dal supremo Sukhbir Badal’s brother-in-law Bikram Majithia, a Mohali court on Friday dismissed anticipatory bail plea by him after Congress-led government in the courtroom described him as a “powerful politician between 2007- 17 who no officer could touch”.
The investigations had begun in 2013 into Rs 6000-crore synthetic drug scam that also involved Canadian NRIs and Amritsar-based businessmen following statements by several businessmen against Majithia on his alleged role.
The order by judge came after Punjab Police booked Majithia under sections of various NDPS Act, invoking charges of drug trade and sale in connection with the Enforcement Directorate probe launched against him in 2014.
Additional sessions judge (Sandeep Kumar Singla dismissed the bail application by Majithia who was represented by a battery of lawyers in the court led by Punjab advocate general R S Cheema.
It is not clear if Majithia will surrender before Punjab Police in Mohali to join the investigations as Punjab Police as sent a team of cops to arrest him.
The Punjab government through its special public prosecutor Raman Kaushal told court that “Jagdish Singh Bhola (wrestler-turned-druglord), Jagjit Singh Chahal, Maninder Singh alias Bittu Aulkah, Amrinder Singh alias Laddi and two Canadian NRIS Parminder Singh Pindi and Satpreet Singh Satta had closed relations with B applicant Bikram Singh Majithia had clear role in supply of narcotics” he
In its arguments, Kaushal also pointed out at Majithia’s alleged wanton display of power during Akali Dal rule in the state from bringing any investigation scrutiny on him.
“In this case, though, from the facts, the applicant has tried to make out a case of political vendetta but applicant himself was one of the powerful person in the state politics till the year 2017 and delay in lodging the FIR can not be a ground to presume that whole case against the applicant is false. As stated earlier, the question on legality of FIR also cannot be a ground for grant of anticipatory bail,” Kaushal told court.
The Punjab government argued that Majithia before ED has made evasive replies to various questions put to him and therefore his custody is required to further investigate the matter.
“Only then the support and financial transactions of applicant with other accused will be ascertained. The applicant will have to be confronted with other persons whose statements were recorded and some of whom have been convicted. The totality of circumstances is to be seen. cases involving larger public interest and complicated facts, the custodial interrogation yields better results and accused may not answer truly to the questions put to him when he is under the protection of anticipatory bail,” the special prosecutor said.
“FIR has been registered on the basis of report which prima facie shows the involvement of the applicant in the drug trade and harbouring of accused involved in drug mafia,” the state prosecutor added.
Majithia’s lawyers argued that FIR against him arose out of political vendetta.
“The comments and statements of political bosses show that they were bent upon to implicate the applicant and they appointed police officers of their choice for that purpose” Majithia’s lawyers told court.