Chandigarh: A new Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been reconstituted by the Punjab government to investigate the drug case registered against senior Akali Dal leader Bikram Majithia during the Congress government in Punjab. Majithia, a former minister, was booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act on December 20, 2021. As per the official order, Inspector General of Police (Patiala range) Mukhwinder Singh Chhina will now head the SIT in place of Rahul S, Director of Vigilance Bureau.
"Rahul S being part of the Vigilance Bureau is supervising a large number of corruption cases, and, as such it has been decided to reconstitute the said SIT with an officer posted in the field heading it so that there is the required focus on the investigation of this important drug case," the order said. The order stated that the other members of the SIT will remain the same.
According to sources, serious allegations were levelled against Majithia in the drug case. It was alleged that Canada-based drug trafficker Satpreet Satta stayed in Majithia's government quarters in Amritsar and Chandigarh. Majithia even gave him a vehicle. Majithia continued to take funds from drug traffickers for elections.
Bikram Singh Majithia was arrested after the case was registered before the 2022 elections. After the High Court rejected the bail application, he was granted bail by the Supreme Court while contesting the election. After the vote, Majithia had to surrender again. After this, he remained in jail for almost six months and got bail in August 2022. (With Agency Inputs)