Chandigarh: Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria has granted permission to prosecute former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) minister Bikram Singh Majithia in a corruption case registered by the state Vigilance Bureau. The sanction was issued under Section 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, following a recommendation by the Punjab cabinet on September 8.
The case alleges that Bikram Singh Majithia accumulated assets worth over Rs 700 crore, which are reportedly disproportionate to his declared income by nearly 1,200%. Authorities claim these assets were acquired through the laundering of Rs 540 crore connected to a 2013 drug trafficking network.
Majithia, a three-time MLA from Majitha, was arrested on June 25 after coordinated raids at his residence in Amritsar and 25 other locations. During the operation, the Vigilance Bureau seized digital devices, property documents, and financial records. A Mohali court initially remanded him to seven days of police custody, later extended by four days, before he was moved to judicial custody on July 6.
The Vigilance Bureau filed a detailed chargesheet on August 22, containing over 40,000 pages of evidence and statements from more than 200 witnesses. The probe is linked to a 2013 Enforcement Directorate investigation into a Rs 6,000-crore synthetic drug racket led by former DSP Jagdish Singh Bhola, who allegedly mentioned Majithia during questioning. While previous drug-related charges were dropped, the current case focuses specifically on corruption and money laundering.
Majithia has consistently denied wrongdoing, calling the allegations politically motivated. His regular bail plea was rejected in August, though he received interim relief from the Punjab and Haryana High Court in September. The trial is scheduled to continue in a Mohali sessions court.
