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Blow to AAP: Court halts vigilance bureau raids on Majithia properties; prior notice required for any such move

Blow to AAP: Court halts vigilance bureau raids on Majithia properties; prior notice required for any such move

Time of India4 days ago
Mohali: In a major setback to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) govt, a Mohali court on Tuesday barred the Punjab vigilance bureau from conducting any further raids on the properties of former minister and Shiromani Akali Dal leader
Bikram Singh Majithia
.
The court directed that any future visits to Majithia's premises must be strictly for evaluation purposes and a 24-hour prior notice should be given to his counsel. The development was confirmed by advocate Arshdeep Singh Kler, legal counsel for Majithia, through a video statement released after the court orders.
Kler revealed that although the court had permitted the investigation officer (IO) to visit the sites, the officer instead deployed multiple vigilance teams to Delhi, Amritsar, and Majitha.
These visits were allegedly publicised to fuel a media trial, prompting immediate legal action, the counsel added.
"The court has now clearly restrained the vigilance bureau from conducting any raids on Majithia's properties. Evaluation, if required, can only be done on the basis of items mentioned in the fard jama talashi and only with prior intimation," said Kler.
Dismissing rumours regarding Majithia's alleged special treatment and health issues, Kler said: "He spent over five months in Patiala jail without requesting any facility.
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The AAP govt is spreading falsehoods to malign his image. Contrary to reports, his blood pressure is normal. If anyone needs to worry about health, it's the chief minister himself."
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for July 22 and the court has directed the vigilance bureau to submit complete videographic evidence of the raids already conducted. The ruling is being seen as a significant legal victory for Majithia and a political jolt to the ruling AAP.
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