In a significant legal development, the Supreme Court on Monday granted bail to senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia in a disproportionate assets case, raising pointed questions over the necessity of his continued incarceration.
A Bench led by Justice Vikram Nath, while hearing Majithia’s plea, asked the Punjab government bluntly, “Why do you want to keep him inside jail?” The court noted that the former Punjab minister had already spent seven months in custody.
The order comes as a major relief to the Akali leader, who has consistently maintained that the case against him is politically motivated.
Supreme Court Cites Prolonged Custody and Completed Investigation
Granting bail, the Bench — which also included Justice Sandeep Mehta — took into account several factors, including Majithia’s long period of incarceration and the status of the investigation.
In its order, the court observed that the police had already filed the chargesheet under Section 173(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code. It also noted that the alleged disproportionate assets relate to a “check period” from 2007 to 2017, while the FIR under the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act was registered only in 2023.
The Bench further recalled that Majithia had earlier been granted bail in a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in 2022, and the Punjab government’s challenge to that bail had been dismissed by the Supreme Court.
“Considering the facts and circumstances of the case… we are inclined to grant him bail,” the court said.
Trial Court May Impose Strict Bail Conditions
While allowing Majithia’s release, the Supreme Court clarified that it would be open to the prosecution to seek stringent bail conditions from the trial court.
“It would be open for the prosecution to impress upon the trial court to impose stringent conditions on the petitioner while releasing him on bail as may be necessary,” the Bench added.
This observation seeks to balance personal liberty with the concerns raised by the investigating agency.
Background: DA Case and Arrest
Bikram Majithia was arrested by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau on June 25, 2025, in a disproportionate assets case alleging accumulation of wealth worth approximately ₹540 crore.
The case stems from an ongoing probe linked to a 2021 drug-related case investigated by a Punjab Police Special Investigation Team (SIT). The FIR in the DA case was registered based on a June 2023 SIT report.
Majithia has been lodged in New Nabha Jail in Patiala since his arrest. A Mohali court had rejected his bail plea in August, following which the Punjab and Haryana High Court also declined relief, citing concerns over his influence.
High Court Had Flagged Risk of Influence
While dismissing Majithia’s bail plea earlier, the high court had observed that the possibility of him influencing the investigation could not be ruled out, given his political stature and long tenure as a cabinet minister in Punjab.
The high court had also noted that around 20 material witnesses cited by the investigating agency were considered vulnerable. However, it had directed the Vigilance Bureau to complete its probe within three months and allowed Majithia to renew his bail plea thereafter.
Massive Chargesheet Filed
The Vigilance Bureau filed a chargesheet running over 40,000 pages in the Mohali court on August 22, detailing the alleged financial irregularities.
Senior advocate S. Muralidhar, appearing for Majithia, told the Supreme Court that financial transactions cited in the DA case had already been referred to during earlier NDPS proceedings.
He argued that the same transactions were now being used to “foist” a fresh case under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Majithia Calls Case Political Vendetta
Majithia has repeatedly described the disproportionate assets case as an act of “political witch-hunting,” alleging vendetta by the current Punjab government due to his vocal criticism of the ruling dispensation.
In 2021, he was booked under the NDPS Act based on a 2018 report of the anti-drug Special Task Force, a case in which he later secured bail.
What Lies Ahead
With the Supreme Court granting bail, Majithia is expected to be released from New Nabha Jail once the trial court finalises the bail conditions.
The development is likely to have significant political ramifications in Punjab, where the case has remained a flashpoint between the opposition and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party.