Drugs case: SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia remanded to judicial custody

The pre-arrest bail plea of Majithia, who was booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act on Dec 20 last year, was dismissed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Jan 24

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia was on Thursday remanded to judicial custody after he surrendered before a court in Mohali in connection with a drugs case, complying with the directions of the Supreme Court.

The trial court in Mohali remanded Majithia to two weeks judicial custody. However, the Akali leader moved a plea for regular bail which will be taken up before the court on Friday.

"...His bail application will be heard tomorrow," one of Majithia's counsels Arshdeep Singh Kler said.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the case questioned Majithia for nearly 90 minutes in the court complex.

Speaking to reporters outside before entering the court premises in the morning, Majithia said, "As per orders of the Hon'ble Supreme Court, I have appeared before the (Mohali) court".

The apex court had recently directed the Punjab Police to not arrest the former Punjab minister till February 23 in a drugs case so he can undertake electioneering in the state.

A bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices A S Bopanna and Hima Kohli had, however, directed Majithia to surrender before a trial court after the Punjab assembly polls on February 20.

It had also directed the trial court to hear and expeditiously decide Majithia's regular bail plea after his surrender in the case.

The pre-arrest bail plea of Majithia, who was booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act on December 20 last year, was dismissed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on January 24. An appeal had been filed in the apex court.

Majithia, who is the SAD MLA and brother-in-law of SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and brother of former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, contested the February 20 polls from the Amritsar East constituency, from where Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu is seeking re-election. The results will be announced on March 10.