The Supreme Court on Thursday requested that the Punjab government not take any coercive action against Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia in any matter until it hears his anticipatory bail petition in the drug case against Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia.
While granting him interim protection from arrest, the court agreed to hear it on Monday.
In representing Majithia, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi argued that the case is clearly political in nature and is registered mainly to further the upcoming elections and for the malafide purpose of targeting a prominent member of the opposition party, Bikram Singh Majithia.
By order of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana, he was granted temporary protection from arrest for three days, which ended today.
Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi and Senior Advocate R.S. Cheema argued the case on behalf of Majithia, aided by D.S. Sobti, Arshdeep Singh Cheema, Nikhil Rohatgi, and Misha Rohatgi Mohta, Advocates; they were assisted by Nandini Gore, Senior Partner and Sandeep Kapur, Senior Partner, from Karanjawala & Co, comprised of Virind
Appearing for the Punjab government, Senior Advocate P. Chidambaram argued that Majithia has gone into hiding after the rejection of his bail plea in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, and now he is appearing through counsel.
The Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana, after hearing the arguments, posted the further hearing of the case to January 31.
Majithia, the brother-in-law of SAD chief Sukhbir Badal, is in the fray for the February 20 assembly polls from Majitha, near Amritsar.
He had moved the high court after a Mohali court dismissed his anticipatory bail petition in a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act registered on December 20.
In a 49-page FIR filed by the state police Crime Branch at the Mohali police station, the SAD leader has been booked under sections 25, 27A and 29 of the NDPS Act.