Vigilance Bureau raids Bikram Singh Majithia’s Amritsar house again, Akali Dal calls it ‘mockery of law’
Former Punjab minister Bikram Singh Majithia has been jailed in a disproportionate assets case.
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The Punjab Vigilance Bureau raided Majithia's Amritsar residence, and arrested him in the disproportionate assets case on June 25 for allegedly laundering more than Rs 540 crore of “drug money” (Source: File)The Punjab Vigilance Bureau Monday once again conducted a raid at the Amritsar residence of jailed Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and former minister Bikram Singh Majithia in connection with an ongoing investigation into a disproportionate assets case.
According to sources, the purpose of the visit was to estimate the value of Majithia’s assets. Vigilance officials were seen mapping the premises, including the structure and contents of the house. The operation reportedly lasted for about three hours.
“This is a routine procedure in vigilance cases,” a source familiar with the matter said. “All the assets of Bikram Singh Majithia will be evaluated, including not only the reconstructed residence but also all the paraphernalia inside the house.”
The raid was conducted on the day SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal met Majithia at the Nabha jail.
In a statement, SAD leader Arshdeep Singh Kaler said, “A Mohali court has stayed the order regarding the raids conducted at three establishments of Bikram Singh Majithia today. The court had only authorised VB DSP Inderpal Singh to visit the sites. However, he further formed teams and sent them to conduct raids. We approached the court regarding these illegal raids and the mockery of law. The court has stayed the raids. The matter will now be heard in court at 2 pm.”
This was the second raid on Majithia’s Amritsar residence in the case. The first raid was conducted on June 25, following which the Vigilance Bureau arrested him in the case of disproportionate assets worth over Rs 540 crore.
After the arrest, Majithia was subsequently sent to 14-day judicial custody on July 7 by a court, with the next hearing scheduled for July 19.
Citing a threat to life, Mathijia then moved a Mohali court seeking that he be lodged in a solitary barrack and not with other inmates.
Majithia sought to be kept in ‘orange’ category facility. As per the jail manual, the ‘orange’ category indicates a high-risk and high-threat profile. In his petition, Majithia contended that he is a former minister, yet jail authorities have shifted nine inmates into his barrack in the Nabha jail.
Earlier, when Majithia was shifted to the New Nabha Jail, the Punjab government claimed that CCTV cameras had been installed in his barrack to ensure 24/7 surveillance and eliminate any security risks. The government also clarified that Majithia would be treated like any other inmate and would not be given any VIP facilities.
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