
SAD condemns arrest of Bikram Majithia in a false case
Chandigarh, June 26 (UNI) The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today condemned the arrest of senior
SAD leader and former minister Bikram Singh Majithia in a "false case with the sole purpose of suppressing the voice of the opposition" and diverting attention from the scams and complete governance failure of the Aam Aadmi Party government.
In a statement here, senior leader Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said both the previous Congress government and the present AAP government had been trying to implicate Majithia in a false case under the NDPS Act.
Dr Cheema said the truth of the matter was that Majithia had been cleared of all wrongdoing of the courts and had been secured bail in the NDPS case.
'Again, the AAP government is opening the case under false pretences with the sole purpose of suppressing Majithia who has been constantly taking up people's causes, which is not to the liking of the AAP government'.
Asserting that the SAD would not be cowed by such tactics, Dr Cheema said, 'We will continue to raise the issues related to the people and expose the wrong doings of this corrupt and scam-ridden government which is being run from Delhi.'
UNI GS PRS

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
'Won't spare anyone': Punjab CM Mann on Majithia's arrest in 'drug money' laundering case
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday reacted to Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia's arrest, saying his government will not spare anyone involved in the drug trade. Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann speaks to the media in New Delhi.(File photo/ANI) Without naming Majithia, the chief minister said he will not show any mercy in the matter of drugs no matter how politically strong or influential a person may be. Mann's reaction comes a day after Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia was arrested by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau on Wednesday for allegedly laundering more than ₹ 540 crore of "drug money". The senior SAD leader was sent to a seven-day vigilance remand on Thursday. Also Read: ₹ 540-cr 'drug money' laundered by Akali leader Bikram Majithia: Probe agency Mann, while addressing reporters in Chandigarh, said his government has been running an anti-drugs drive campaign in the state, which has now turned into a public movement, news agency PTI reported. He also took on opposition parties for condemning the vigilance action against Majithia. "No matter how politically strong or influential one may be, I will not have mercy in the matter of drugs. I am accountable to Punjabis and I am indebted to them," Bhagwant Mann said. Referring to the case, Mann said that the vigilance department followed due procedure and made a proper case. "Those who have so far been sent to jail in connection with drugs, 80-90 per cent of them could not secure bail", the CM said. Mann also warned those who are on the wrong side of the law and 'have the misconception' that they cannot be caught, saying action will also be taken against them. Reacting to the opposition parties condemning the action against Majithia, he said these are the same leaders who used to question the government for not taking action against big smugglers. "It shows that it is the AAP versus all. Those responsible for destroying (the future of) youngsters will face the strictest punishment. Be it anyone. Even if they want to harm me," Mann said. What are the charges against Majithia? The Punjab Vigilance Bureau arrested Majithia alleging that the former minister was involved in laundering more than ₹ 540 crore of "drug money". Majithia's arrest came after a raid was conducted at his Amritsar residence on Wednesday. He has been booked in a disproportionate assets case. Also Read: SAD leader Bikram Majithia sent to 7-day vigilance remand in 'drug money' laundering case The preliminary investigations have revealed that more than ₹ 540 crore of "drug money" has been laundered through several ways and it was allegedly facilitated by Majithia, the authorities said. Majithia, the brother-in-law of SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, is already facing a probe in a 2021 drugs case.


New Indian Express
an hour ago
- New Indian Express
SAD leader Majithia allegedly laundered Rs 540 crore through shell firms, tax havens: Vigilance Bureau
CHANDIGARH: Senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia, brother-in-law of SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, who was arrested by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau on Wednesday for allegedly laundering more than Rs 540 crore of "drug money", was on Thursday sent to a seven-day vigilance remand by a court in Mohali. The court order came two-and-a-half hours after Majithia was brought into the court complex. Speaking to the media, Ferry Sofat, the advocate representing the Vigilance Bureau, said the Bureau had sought a 12-day remand for the accused, but the court granted a seven-day remand. Majithia will now be produced before the court again on July 2. Sofat told the court that Majithia had allegedly "threatened" the vigilance team when they raided his residence. He added that Majithia had failed to account for the source of Rs 540 crore in income. "Saraya acquired wealth and got Rs 161 crore cash deposited in bank accounts and Rs 141 crore through foreign entities. There is no explanation or legitimate source for it. While Rs 236 crore has been credited to the accounts of Saraya, there is no explanation for this in financial statements," he said.


The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
Gujarat AAP MLA resigns from all party posts; suspended
The Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday (June 26, 2025) suspended its MLA Umesh Makwana for "anti-party" activities, hours after he resigned from all the party posts, except as legislator, claiming the AAP has failed to raise issues of the backward classes. The MLA's move came just three days after the AAP retained its Visavadar seat in the State in a bypoll. Mr. Makwana, who represents the Botad seat, announced in Gandhinagar that he has resigned as the party's National Secretary and whip in the State Assembly. The MLA, who belongs to the Koli (Other Backward Class) community, said he will continue to work as an ordinary AAP worker. Asked if he was also planning to resign as MLA, Mr. Makwana said he will take a decision after consulting the people of his constituency to make sure they do not suffer. Soon after his move, Gujarat AAP president Isudan Gadhvi issued a statement announcing Mr. Makwana's suspension. "Umesh Makwana has been suspended from AAP for five years for indulging in anti-party and anti-Gujarat activities," Mr. Gadhvi said in the statement. Mr. Makwana was one of the five AAP MLAs elected for the first time in the 2022 polls to the 182-member State assembly. His sudden announcement came just three days after AAP leader Gopal Italia won the bypoll to the Visavadar seat in Junagadh district by defeating BJP candidate Kirit Patel. In the 2022 Assembly polls, AAP's Bhupendra Bhayani emerged victorious in Visavadar, but the seat fell vacant in December 2023 after Bhayani resigned and joined the ruling BJP. In the bypoll held recently, former state AAP chief Italia defeated BJP's Kirit Patel by a comfortable margin of 17,554 votes. The AAP, however, faced defeat in Mehsana's Kadi constituency, reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates, where party nominee Jagdish stood third. The BJP retained the seat, while Congress came second. Addressing a press conference in Gandhinagar, Makwana alleged that all parties, be it the BJP, Congress or AAP, always ignore backward classes when it comes to offering them key posts such as chief minister or party president. "The population of OBCs, including Kolis, is highest in Gujarat. But, the BJP, despite being in power for nearly 30 years, never made an OBC as the CM of Gujarat or their party president. The Congress also failed to raise issues concerning Kolis and other backward classes," he claimed. Irrespective of parties, the OBC leaders are given importance only during elections but sidelined once the polls are over, Mr. Makwana charged. He claimed the AAP has also failed to raise issues concerning the backward classes. "Be it Gujarat's politics or national politics, there is no meaning of hanging a photograph of Dr BR Ambedkar in offices if the party can't walk on the path shown by him," Mr. Makwana said. "That is why I am resigning from all the party posts. I will take a decision on quitting as MLA after consulting my people in Botad. I have also called a meeting of all the OBC leaders in the coming days to discuss the road ahead. I will share my future plans after that meeting," he said. Mr. Makwana also accused the AAP's national and local leadership of being biased against the party's Dalit candidate in Kadi seat, Jagdish Chavda, who lost the election. "The party leaders concentrated only on the Visavadar poll and invested all resources there because Gopal Italia is a Patidar. On the other hand, our Kadi candidate Jagdish Chavda did not receive any help because he is a Dalit. Chavda took a loan of Rs 10 lakh to fight the poll. Why such discrimination?" he asked.