The Supreme Court on Monday deferred the hearing on SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia’s petition seeking quashing of cases registered against him by the Punjab Police under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.
A Bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud posted the matter for hearing on April 21 after senior advocate V Giri, representing the Punjab Government, urged it to take up the matter on next Monday even as senior counsel Kapil Sibal sought to know on behalf of Majithia if it could be heard on Wednesday as his client has been in jail for several months.The SAD leader had on March 28 moved the Supreme Court seeking quashing of cases registered against him by the Punjab Police under the NDPS Act.
Majithia—a former minister in the state—was given protection from arrest till February 23 by the Supreme Court in view of the February 20 assembly polls to contest as an SAD candidate from Amritsar East assembly constituency. He had surrendered after the expiry of the period. He is currently lodged in Patiala Jail following rejection of his bail plea by a special court.He termed the cases were politically motivated, contending they had already been investigated by high-ranking police officers.In his first orders to Punjab Police after assuming charge, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann had on March 20 reconstituted the Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the drug case against Majithia.
IGP-Crime Branch Gursharan Singh Sandhu was given the supervision of the working of the four-member team headed by an IPS officer, Rahul S. The other members are AIG Ranjit Singh and DSPs Raghbir Singh and Amanpreet Singh.The previous SIT was a three-member team headed by AIG Balraj Singh. The SIT was formed to probe allegations against Majithia based on an FIR lodged under various sections of the NDPS Act on December 20, 2021.A Bench led by CJI NV Ramana had on January 31 wondered how several criminal cases were suddenly coming out on the eve of the assembly elections in Punjab. “Sorry to say this, suddenly these cases are coming up before elections and everybody has reasons to suspect some motives… We are in a democracy…We are not saying hold your hands and not control drug mafias. But let the elections take place on February 20…At least allow the candidates to file nominations and contest elections”, the CJI had noted.
