CHANDIGARH — Senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Majithia and seven others moved a formal application in a Chandigarh district court on Thursday, March 12, 2026, requesting an exemption from personal appearance in an ongoing criminal case. The request was submitted by their legal counsel, Rajesh Rai, citing a high-profile political meeting in Bathinda as the primary reason for Majithia’s absence.
According to the application, Majithia is currently attending a significant gathering of senior SAD leaders and dignitaries at Bagha Barana village in the Bathinda district. The legal team informed the court that the event is expected to draw a massive crowd from various towns and states, making Majithia’s presence there essential for organizational purposes. The defence has assured the court that all accused individuals intend to be present for the subsequent hearing and clarified that their absence today is not intentional but necessitated by unavoidable circumstances.
The application also highlighted the specific constraints of other co-accused. Pawan Kumar Tinu, who holds the position of a bank chairman, was reportedly required to attend a personal hearing before the Supreme Court of India in a separate matter. Furthermore, the court was informed that Balwinder Singh is currently battling kidney-related health issues, rendering him medically unfit to travel to the Chandigarh court for today’s proceedings.
This legal battle traces back to a 2021 incident during which Akali Dal leaders organized a march toward the Chief Minister’s residence to protest against rising inflation and issues surrounding the 1984 riots. The Chandigarh UT Police had filed a chargesheet alleging that the protesters breached security barricades, violated government orders, and obstructed public servants from performing their duties. The clash resulted in injuries to several police personnel, leading to charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.
While the trial had previously been stalled due to a stay from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, proceedings have recently accelerated. In November 2025, the High Court quashed the FIR against senior leaders Daljit Singh Cheema and Maheshinder Singh Grewal, effectively lifting the stay on the trial for the remaining accused. Majithia’s legal team noted that a similar petition to quash the FIR against the current accused is scheduled for a hearing in the High Court on March 26, 2026. The defence argued that since the charges have already been dismissed for two other leaders in the same case, it would be in the interest of justice to grant today’s exemption.
