Punjab: SAD leader Bikram Majithia booked in drug case

Just weeks ahead of the Assembly polls in Punjab, the police have booked former Akali minister and brother-in-law of Sukhbir Badal, Bikram Singh Majithia, under sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

As per the FIR, Majihtia was booked for allowing drug smuggling through the use of his property or conveyance, financing the distribution or sale of drugs and hatching a criminal conspiracy for smuggling.

Reacting to the news, Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu said that registration of FIR on the basis of the February 2018 STF report is a slap on the face of all those powerful who slept for years on issues at the heart of Punjab’s soul. Sidhu said that this is merely the first step, adding that he is demanding this for the last four years.

"After 5.5 Years of fight against corrupt system run by Badal Family & Captain and delay of 4 years without action taken on ED & STF report against Majithia. Finally now, after pushing for credible officers in positions of power and influence first step has been taken !!" he tweeted.

"Justice will not be served until main culprits behind drug mafia are given exemplary punishment. "This is merely a first step, will fight till punishment is given which acts as a deterrent for generations. We must choose honest & righteous & shun drug traffickers & their protectors," he added.

Notably, political parties including Congress and AAP have been demanding the arrest of Majithia in the case. He was also named as an accused in the Rs 6,000 crore synthetic drug hawala case investigated by ED.

Claiming that the FIR was just one of the steps against drug mafia, Sidhu in another tweet said, "Justice will not be served until main culprits behind Drug Mafia are given exemplary punishment, this is merely a first step, Will fight till punishment is given which acts as deterrent for generations. We must choose honest & righteous & shun drug traffickers & their protectors."

Responding to the highly sensitive action, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) patron Parkash Singh Badal termed the registration of the case as the worst example of political vendetta.

"We have been airing our fears about such a vendetta. We will fight the injustice," he told the media in Muktsar town.