The Punjab and Haryana High Court has granted protection against arrest for three days to former Minister and senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia in a case related to allowing illicit drugs smuggling and harbouring offenders involved in the drugs trade.
The protection has been given to enable Mr. Majithia to approach the Supreme Court for challenging the dismissal of his bail application. The High Court on January 24 dismissed the anticipatory bail application of Mr. Majithia. In its order, the court granted three days to enable Mr. Majithia to approach the Supreme Court for challenging the order.
“..in view the peculiar circumstances of this case, which are apparent from the detailed discussion.. while not finding any ground to afford one week as prayed for, petitioner is afforded three days to enable him to approach the Hon’ble Supreme Court for challenging this order. Till then,petitioner be not arrested. It is made clear that this protection shall enure only for three daysfrom today (January 24), read the order.
The Punjab police have registered First Information Report (FIR) under Sections 25 (allowing premises etc. to be used for commission of an offence under the Act), 27A (financing illicit traffic and harbouring offenders) and 29 (abetment and criminal conspiracy) of the Narcotic Drugs And Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 against Mr. Majithia at Bureau of Investigation (BoI) in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (Mohali).
