The 2021 FIR that came to haunt Bikram Majithia

He was accused of offences under Section 25 (allowing premises to be used for committing a crime), Section 27-A (financing drug-related activities), and Section 29 (criminal conspiracy) of the NDPS Act.

The case had triggered allegations of political vendetta at the time. The FIR was based on a report by the state’s Special Task Force (STF) against drugs, headed by IPS officer Harpreet Sidhu.

It stated that the STF had found prima facie evidence to warrant further investigation into Majithia’s role, as alleged in the complaint. The STF’s findings drew from an analysis of the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) investigation in the Jagdish Bhola drug case.

In 2018, the STF was asked to assess Majithia’s role based on material gathered by the ED. Statements by drug accused Jagjit Singh Chahal and Maninder Singh Bittu Aulakh, recorded by the ED, were included in the report and later incorporated into the FIR.

Bhola, a former DSP and Arjuna Award-winning wrestler, was accused in 2013 of amassing properties worth crores through drug smuggling.

He was recently granted bail by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on May 21.

The STF’s report, submitted to the High Court in 2018, had remained sealed as the court sought responses from the then DGP and home secretary.

The Vigilance Bureau FIR also cited legal opinion by then Advocate General DS Patwalia, who strongly recommended action on the STF report. Patwalia had stated there was no legal bar preventing the STF or any state agency from proceeding.