Majithia’s Drug and Corruption Allegations in Punjab
Majithia’s Drug and Corruption Allegations in Punjab
The drug money laundering and disproportionate assets (DA) case against Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia explained.
By RMN News Service
June 29, 2025
What are the main allegations against Bikram Singh Majithia?
Bikram Singh Majithia, a leader of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) political party in Punjab, faces serious allegations primarily related to drug money laundering and disproportionate assets. He is accused of amassing wealth beyond his known sources of income while serving as a minister in 2009 and of laundering 540 crore rupees of drug money.
Who is providing evidence against Majithia, and what is their background?
Key individuals providing information and evidence against Majithia include former Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Sidharth Chattopadhyaya and retired Deputy Director of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Niranjan Singh. Chattopadhyaya had previously ordered an FIR against Majithia in 2021 and headed a High Court-constituted SIT probing drug trafficking. Niranjan Singh led the ED probe against Majithia, with his status report forming the basis for the 2021 drug case.
What kind of evidence is being presented or claimed against Majithia?
Former DGP Chattopadhyaya claims there has been “much evidence” against Majithia as early as 2012, indicating his “connivance” with drug smugglers and “financial gain.” He asserts a “direct link” between Majithia and drug smugglers and claims that evidence had been destroyed. The High Court-constituted SIT, headed by Chattopadhyaya, had also submitted three reports detailing misuse of the NDPS Act, extortions, and the money trail of ill-gotten wealth.
What challenges or obstacles have investigators faced in this case?
Political interference has been a significant obstacle, particularly because Bikram Majithia and Sukhbir Badal’s government was in power in 2012 when early evidence emerged. Additionally, retired ED officer Niranjan Singh stated that he faced “enormous pressure” from his seniors to “go slow” in the case. Chattopadhyaya also claimed that evidence in the case had been destroyed.
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What is the current status of the legal proceedings against Majithia?
Bikram Singh Majithia was arrested on June 25, 2025, following raids by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau. A Mohali court remanded him to seven-day police custody on June 26. The current charges against him include disproportionate assets, building upon previous investigations into drug money laundering.
How has Majithia’s political party responded to these allegations?
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) spokesperson, Arshdeep Singh Kler, has questioned the credibility of former DGP Chattopadhyaya. Kler stated that the 2021 case against Majithia was “false” and that Chattopadhyaya had failed to provide evidence in the high court or Supreme Court for four years. Kler also questioned Chattopadhyaya’s current role as a witness in the disproportionate assets case.
What does this case reveal about the wider issues in Punjab?
The case against Majithia is described as a “significant escalation of a corruption case targeting Punjab’s political establishment.” His arrest is seen as a potential, though possibly fleeting, crackdown on Punjab’s “deeply entrenched criminal-political nexus,” suggesting a broader issue of corruption and links between politicians and criminal activities, particularly drug trafficking.
What were the key findings of the Punjab and Haryana High Court-constituted SIT that Chattopadhyaya headed?
The SIT, headed by Chattopadhyaya in December 2017, probed the nexus between drug traffickers and enforcement agencies. It submitted three reports detailing the misuse of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, instances of extortions, and the money trail of ill-gotten wealth accumulated by “black sheep” within the Punjab Police. It cited examples like dismissed AIG Rajjit Singh and Inspector Inderjit Singh who allegedly benefited from drug money.
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