Former Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia was on Thursday sent to judicial custody till March 8 by a trial court in a case related to allowing illicit drugs smuggling and harbouring offenders involved in the drugs trade.
Mr. Majithia surrendered before the trial court in Mohali, in compliance with Supreme Court’s directions. He appeared before the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Sandeep Kumar Singla. Mr. Majithia has applied for regular bail, which is likely to come up for hearing on Friday.
Last month, the Supreme Court had in its direction given protection to Mr. Majithia from arrest in the drugs case till February 23. A Bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) N.V. Ramana ordered Mr. Majithia to surrender before the trial court on February 23 and seek regular bail. The apex court said the trial court should consider Mr. Majithia’s request for bail expeditiously.
Mr. Majithia has approached Supreme Court after the Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed the anticipatory bail application.
The Punjab police have registered FIR under Sections 25 (allowing premises etc., to be used for commission of an offence under the Act), 27A (financing illicit traffic and harbouring offenders) and 29 (abetment and criminal conspiracy) Narcotic Drugs And Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 against Mr. Majithia at Bureau of Investigation in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (Mohali).
