CHANDIGARH: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Wednesday alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government had violated the law by registering a disproportionate assets case against senior party leader Bikram Singh Majithia without conducting either a preliminary or regular probe.
It further accused the state government of indulging in political vendetta to silence Majithia and distract the public from the failure of its Yudh Nashean De Virudh (War Against Drugs) campaign.
Senior SAD leaders Balwinder Singh Bhundar, Maheshinder Singh Grewal, and Dr Daljit Singh Cheema also accused the AAP government of misleading the people of Punjab and committing contempt of court by alleging that Majithia had been arrested in a Rs 540 crore drug case.
“This is not only absurd but a bundle of lies for which the AAP leaders will be held accountable,” said Grewal, adding, “The government should explain why it has not produced a single complaint regarding the Rs 540 crore figure it concocted, either in the FIR or elsewhere.”
He further contrasted the situation with the arrests of Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia in the Delhi liquor scam, stating that in that case, specific complaints had been filed by liquor contractors alleging they paid bribes.
Grewal also pointed out that Majithia had earlier been granted bail by the High Court in the NDPS case registered by the previous Congress government, which found no recovery of drug money, no proven transaction, and no exchange of funds.
Grewal added that the public prosecutor had confirmed on Wednesday that only a disproportionate assets case had been registered against Majithia.
“Even this is fabricated. The properties mentioned in the complaint have belonged to the Majithia family since before Bikram Majithia was born. The Majithia family is an old landed family, his grandfather owned planes and even a Rolls Royce. It has also been wrongly imputed that Bikram Majithia was responsible for decision-making in Saraya Industries, whereas he resigned as a Director of the company in 2007,” he said.
Dr Daljit Singh Cheema stated that all the allegations mentioned in the new case had already been submitted before the Supreme Court recently during a petition to cancel Majithia’s bail in the NDPS case. “The Supreme Court did not take cognisance of the allegations, and now they have been recycled and turned into a new case,” he said.
Cheema also criticised the AAP government for creating a curfew-like situation at the Mohali court where Majithia was presented, which he claimed caused harassment to litigants.
Veteran SAD leader Balwinder Singh Bhundar said the action reminded people of the Emergency era and termed it a “murder of democracy”. He alleged that the AAP government had been attempting to implicate Majithia in a false case for over three years, forming multiple SITs and even suspending officers to pressure them into illegal actions. He also thanked the opposition parties for showing solidarity with Majithia and raising their voice against what he described as “revengeful action”.
