Bikram Singh Majithia, a Shiromani Akali Dal leader and former Punjab minister, was placed in judicial prison on Thursday after surrendering to a Mohali court in a narcotics case filed against him in December last year.
Following a medical assessment at the government civil hospital in Mohali, the former minister was sent to the Patiala Central Jail. It was previously planned to detain Majithia in the Sangrur jail, but this was changed due to security concerns, according to sources.
Following the interrogation, Majithia was brought back before judicial magistrate Mukesh Kumar Singla, who ordered that he be placed in judicial custody.
On February 25, the former minister's motion for regular bail will be heard in a Mohali court (Friday).
The SIT investigating the case did not request Majithia's police remand and instead requested 14 days of judicial custody. While representing the case before the Punjab and Haryana high court and Supreme Court, the SIT had been pressing for his police remand.
RS Cheema, HS Dhanoa, Arshdeep Singh Cheema, Binder Pal, PS Pahwa, and Arshdeep Kaler defended Majithia, while public prosecutor Sanjeev Batra and additional public prosecutors SS Sahota and Varun Sharma represented the state.
On December 20, Majithia was arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act's Sections 25 (penalty for allowing premises), 27 (A) (whoever is financing any narcotic drug-related activity), and 29 (participant in a criminal conspiracy to conduct an offence).
Following the high court's rejection of Majithia's bail application on January 25, a bench of Chief Justice of India NV Ramana, Justices AS Bopanna, and Hima Kohli on January 31 postponed his arrest till February 23, citing Majithia's election campaign. The Supreme Court ordered him to appear in front of the trial court and post-normal bail.
Majithia, the brother-in-law of SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, ran for Amritsar East against Punjab Congress chairman Navjot Singh Sidhu in a high-profile election.
Punjab home minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said Thursday's court decision confirmed the legitimacy of the FIR against Majithia, who has called it a political vendetta.
"Truth will win," Majithia declared in a brief engagement with the media.
Majithia was ordered to surrender before a trial court after the Punjab assembly elections on February 20 by a bench consisting of Chief Justice N V Ramana, Justices A S Bopanna, and Hima Kohli. It also ordered the trial court to consider Majithia's normal bail request and make a decision on it as soon as possible following his surrender in the case. Majithia's pre-arrest bail application, filed on December 20 last year under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, was denied by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on January 24. The Supreme Court has been notified of the appeal.
Majithia, a SAD MLA and brother-in-law of SAD chairman Sukhbir Singh Badal and former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, ran for re-election in the Amritsar East constituency on February 20. On March 10th, the outcomes will be revealed.
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