Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) senior leader and former Punjab minister Bikram Singh Majithia did not appear personally before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Monday for questioning in the alleged ₹6,000-crore drug racket case. Instead, his lawyers appeared before the investigation team in Patiala.
The SIT had summoned Majithia to appear on October 5. Dismissed Punjab Police DSP Jagdish Singh Bhola was also summoned for questioning on the same day, raising the possibility of the two being questioned face-to-face as part of the investigation.
According to reports, the SIT is examining earlier statements and alleged financial transactions linked to the drug network. Investigators are also looking into various links and developments that emerged during previous investigations into the case.
Bhola, a former wrestler-turned-police officer, was arrested in November 2013 in connection with the drug racket. He had named Majithia during the earlier investigation, an allegation that Majithia has consistently denied.
Punjab Police registered an FIR against Majithia on December 20, 2021, under Sections 25, 27-A and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The case was based on a 2018 report of the Punjab Police's Special Task Force (STF).
The police alleged that Majithia had links with certain individuals accused of involvement in drug trafficking. Majithia has denied involvement in the drug trade and has described the case as politically motivated.
The alleged drug network has been associated with an estimated ₹6,000 crore in drug trafficking and money laundering investigations. The SIT's latest questioning is part of the continuing probe into the case.
