Majithia’s Arrest Triggers Political Storm In Punjab; AAP Minister Alleges ‘Akali-BJP Brought Drug Menace’

<p>Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Congress, and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders on Wednesday raised strong objections to the arrest of senior Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau, calling it an example of political vendetta by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.</p> <p>The Vigilance Bureau arrested Majithia following a raid at his residence in Amritsar, accusing him of laundering over ₹540 crore of drug money. The bureau claimed preliminary findings suggested that this amount was routed through various illegal channels allegedly linked to Majithia, who is already under investigation in a 2021 drugs case.</p> <h3><strong>Bikram Singh Majithia Arrest: SAD, Congress Allege &lsquo;Undemocratic&rsquo; Action</strong></h3> <p>SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal condemned the arrest, asserting that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP were unsettled by Majithia&rsquo;s fearless criticism of the state government.</p> <p>&ldquo;This is not the first time that political vendetta has been unleashed against the Akali leadership. WE WILL TAKE IT HEAD ON,&rdquo; Badal wrote on X (formerly Twitter). He further warned police officials against following unlawful orders, stating, &ldquo;Registering false cases is a criminal act. Officers should know that inquiries into all such false cases and acts of suppression committed during this govt&rsquo;s tenure will surely be conducted at the appropriate time.&rdquo;</p> <p>Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly, Partap Singh Bajwa, also lashed out, describing the arrest as &ldquo;shameful and undemocratic.&rdquo;</p> <p>&ldquo;I strongly condemn the arrest of @bsmajithia &ndash; both in the manner it violates democratic principles and exposes the dictatorial mindset behind it,&rdquo; Bajwa posted on X. He alleged that the raid at the residence of SAD MLA Ganieve Kaur, Majithia&rsquo;s wife, was conducted without a search warrant. &ldquo;If a raid operation is to be carried out against an MLA, the Vigilance Bureau should have a search or an arrest warrant,&rdquo; he added.</p> <p>Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira echoed these sentiments, calling the arrest &ldquo;highly vindictive&rdquo; and driven by &ldquo;sheer personal hatred&rdquo; from CM Mann and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.</p> <h3><strong>AAP Defends Action, Calls It a Landmark Day</strong></h3> <p>Punjab Cabinet Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak hailed the arrest as a significant moment in the state&rsquo;s battle against drugs. &ldquo;This day will go down in history. It will be recorded as the day when the Akali-BJP combine was exposed for bringing drugs to Punjab, a menace the Aam Aadmi Party government under Bhagwant Mann uprooted,&rdquo; he stated, as per PTI.</p> <p>He alleged that the previous Akali-BJP government enabled the spread of drugs in the state through political patronage. &ldquo;Drugs could spread on such a massive scale only because the MLAs and ministers of the Akali-BJP government gave political protection to the drug smugglers and worked hand-in-glove with them to expand this trade,&rdquo; Kataruchak said.</p> <p>Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema echoed the government&rsquo;s firm stance, asserting that no one would be spared if found involved in the drug trade. &ldquo;Punjab is witnessing an unprecedented war against drugs&hellip; No matter how influential a person is, if they are involved in drug-related activities, they will face the law,&rdquo; he declared.</p> <p>Minister Aman Arora also dismissed the opposition&rsquo;s allegations. &ldquo;Claims of vendetta are baseless. If vigilance or police receive a complaint, they act accordingly. The law operates independently, and no one needs to worry if they are innocent,&rdquo; he said, as per PTI.</p> <h3><strong>BJP Voices Concern Over Process</strong></h3> <p>Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar supported the need for action against corruption but emphasised due process. &ldquo;Law must take its course &ndash; firmly and without favour. No one is above the law, and justice must prevail,&rdquo; he said. However, he warned against selective targeting, noting, &ldquo;When institutions are used to selectively target individuals while others walk free, it erodes the credibility of both justice and governance.&rdquo;</p> <p>Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu also expressed concerns, alleging that the legal process was being compromised by turning the case into a political spectacle. &ldquo;The fresh arrest will also meet the same fate. It&rsquo;s clear that this is just political posturing. Every such arrest dilutes the case further,&rdquo; Bittu said. He also criticised the AAP government for failing to provide substantial evidence in previous court proceedings, including in the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the Supreme Court.</p> <p>According to PTI, Bittu further accused CM Mann of exploiting the issue for political gain, stating, &ldquo;His actions, often taken under the influence of liquor, show that he has no intent to take the case to its logical end.&rdquo;</p> <p>As political temperatures rise in Punjab, the arrest of Bikram Singh Majithia has reignited fierce debates over drug politics, governance, and the alleged misuse of investigative agencies.</p>

from 'PM Disguised As Sadhu, Sardar, Hippie In 1975': Amit Shah Launches Modi's 'Emergency Diaries' Book https://ift.tt/wmcBCHz
via IFTTT