New Delhi, April 25 - The Supreme Court has dismissed the Punjab government's plea challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court's decision to grant bail to Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia in a drug case. A bench comprising Justices JK Maheshwari and Arvind Kumar said it will not hear the plea filed by the Punjab government.
The bench asked Majithia and the state investigation agency not to make any statement to the media about the investigation in the case. The top court said that if Majithia tries to influence the witnesses or the trial in the drugs case, the anti-narcotics special task force will be free to file a petition seeking cancellation of Majithia's bail.
The bench also asked the special task force to take prior approval before making any public statement on the matter. Majithia was released on bail from Patiala Jail on August 10, 2022, after being granted bail by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The High Court had then said that there were “reasonable grounds” to believe that he was not guilty. The case against Majithia was registered on the basis of a 2018 report by the Special Task Force on drug rackets in the state. The Special Task Force report was based on confessional statements given to the Enforcement Directorate by some of the accused, including Jagjit Singh Chahal, Jagdish Singh Bhola and Maninder Singh Aulakh.