SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia gets protection from arrest in drugs case till Feb 23
New Delhi, January 31: With the Punjab Assembly elections nearing, the Supreme Court on Monday granted protection from arrest to Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia till February 23 and asked him to surrender before the trial court concerned on February 23 and apply for regular bail in the drug case.
A Bench comprising Chief Justices NV Ramana and Justices AS Bopanna and Hima Kohli, however, directed Bikram Singh Majithia to surrender before a trial court after the Punjab Assembly Elections scheduled for February 20. It also directed the trial court to hear and expeditiously decide Majithia's regular bail plea after his surrender in the case.
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The Supreme Court order will allow Majithia to campaign for his party freely. Bikram Singh Majithia is contesting the Punjab Assembly elections from Majitha and Amritsar East constituencies.
Chief Justice of India NV Ramana observed "sorry to say that such criminal cases coming up before the Punjab Assembly Elections 2022".
Chief Justice of India NV Ramana asked the Punjab Government’s lawyer to "advise the state that the impression should not go out that politically motivated cases are being filed".
The Supreme Court asked senior advocate P Chidambaram appearing for the Punjab Government to advise the state that such cases are not filed before the elections.
The observation of the top court came when it told Punjab Government about another anticipatory bail plea filed by an MLA who complained of FIR being registered ahead of the elections.
"There was another mentioning today regarding anticipatory bail of Simarjit Singh Bains where a case has been registered against him. That case will be heard on Tuesday. Sorry to say suddenly these criminal cases are coming out before elections...," the Bench said.
It added, "We are in a democracy, at least allow them to file nomination." Chidambaram said he could assure the apex court that there would be no politically vindictive action in Punjab.
During the hearing, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi appearing for Majithia argued that this is a classic case of "political humiliation and vendetta".
Earlier, the pre-arrest bail plea of Shiromani Akali Dal leader (SAD) Bikram Singh Majithia, who has been booked in the drugs case, was dismissed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on January 24. Following this, he moved the Supreme Court.
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-PTC News
