Chandigarh: Senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia was arrested on Wednesday by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau following extensive raids across the state, including at his Amritsar residence, according to sources.

Majithia’s arrest comes in connection with a case reportedly related to disproportionate assets, as claimed by his wife and Akali MLA Ganieve Kaur Majithia. However, the Bureau has yet to officially disclose the details of the case under which the former minister has been taken into custody.

Vigilance teams, accompanied by police personnel, carried out coordinated searches at 25 locations across Punjab. Among them were nine sites in Amritsar, including Majithia’s residence. Majithia is the brother-in-law of SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and is already under investigation in a 2021 drugs case.

According to Majithia and his wife, the Vigilance team forcibly entered their home in Amritsar’s Green Avenue locality. A similar search operation was also conducted at their Chandigarh residence, they claimed.

The raids drew sharp criticism from senior SAD leaders. Party president Sukhbir Singh Badal, his wife and former Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, along with other top leaders, slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, accusing it of political vendetta.

Addressing the media, Ganieve Kaur said, “A disproportionate assets case has been registered against my husband. We will continue to fight. People will stand by Majithia.”

As news of the search at Majithia’s house circulated online, party workers and supporters gathered near his residence, raising slogans against the Bhagwant Mann-led government. Police erected barricades and deployed a heavy security force, restricting access to the area.

Video footage showed Majithia confronting vigilance officials inside his house. "What is happening? I want to know what is going on. How did you barge into my house without my knowledge," his wife questioned the officers.
 

Majithia himself alleged that officials “terrorised” his children during the operation. In a heated exchange with the officers, he remarked, “You have forced your way through. This is not the way... I am not going anywhere. I am ready to cooperate.”

In a video statement, he accused the Mann government of using the Vigilance Bureau to silence opposition voices. “They forcefully entered the house. If an FIR has been lodged, we are submitted to the law. If they wanted to register an FIR of DA (disproportionate assets) case, they could have given a notice and register an FIR. It is very clear that they (AAP) are rattled,” he said.

He further added, “Bhagwant Mann ji, understand this, no matter how many FIRs you register, neither I will be afraid nor your government can suppress my voice. I have always talked about the issues of Punjab and will continue to do so.”

Majithia revealed that the FIR had been filed the previous night and the raid was led by a Senior Superintendent of Police from the vigilance unit.

Meanwhile, a special investigation team (SIT) of the Punjab Police continues to probe the 2021 narcotics case involving Majithia. He has been questioned multiple times in connection with the matter.

Earlier this year, the SIT claimed to have found “suspicious financial transactions” linked to firms associated with Majithia and his family. The investigation has since expanded to cover overseas transactions.

The drugs case against Majithia was registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in December 2021, during the Congress government led by then Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi. It was based on a 2018 report by the anti-drug Special Task Force.

Following his arrest in that case, Majithia spent over five months in Patiala jail before securing bail from the Punjab and Haryana High Court in August 2022.