Bikram Majithia Drugs Case: SC Asks Punjab Govt Not To Take Any Coercive Step Against Akali Leader Till Jan 31

This came after an apex court bench comprising Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and Justices A.S. Bopanna and Hima Kohli took note of the submissions of senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Majithia.

SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia. (File Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: In a minor relief for Bikram Singh Majithia, the Supreme Court on Thursday orally asked the Punjab government not to take any coercive step against the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader till January 31 when it hears his pre-arrest bail plea in a drugs case.

This came after an apex court bench comprising Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and Justices A.S. Bopanna and Hima Kohli took note of the submissions of senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Majithia.

Rohatgi’s submissions stated that the plea seeking anticipatory bail plea needed urgent hearing as the accused has been facing “political vendetta”, PTI reported.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court had earlier this week granted three days protection from arrest to Majithia, who has been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

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Agreeing to hear on Monday the plea filed by Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia for anticipatory bail in a drug case, the #SupremeCourt on Thursday directed the Punjab government not to take any coercive action against him till then while granting interim protection from arrest.

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- IANS (@IANS) 27 Jan 2022

Earlier on Monday, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had dismissed the pre-arrest bail plea of Majithia, who is the brother-in-law of SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal.

This enabled Majithia to approach the Supreme Court for an anticipatory bail in a drug case registered by the Punjab Police earlier on December 20 last year.

The SAD leader had moved the High Court after he failed to get an anticipatory bail plea from the Mohali court earlier on December 24 last year.

The SAD leader had in his plea in the Mohali court submitted that the Congress government in the state had “left no stone unturned to misuse its powers and position for wreaking vengeance upon its political opponents”.

Majithia, facing an FIR by the Punjab Police in an NDPS case, was earlier granted interim bail by the High Court on a condition of cooperating in the investigation.