Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh-
AAP Punjab General Secretary and Media In-Charge Baltej Pannu said that today’s decision of the Hon’ble Punjab and Haryana High Court has delivered the “biggest shock” to Akali Dal (Badal), whose repeated threats to officers “did not work.” Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh, Pannu said the Court has rejected senior Akali leader and former minister Bikram Singh Majithia’s bail plea, reaffirming the seriousness of the vigilance case registered against him.
Pannu said that earlier, the lower court had already dismissed Majithia’s bail, and now the High Court has also refused relief after hearing detailed arguments presented by the Punjab government. “For nearly fifteen days, our AG Office team argued before the Hon’ble Court, and after hearing everything, the Court understood that if Majithia is released, as his past behaviour shows, he can threaten and intimidate witnesses,” he said.
He slammed the Akali Dal for repeatedly holding press conferences claiming that there was “no further investigation after the challan” and therefore Majithia should be released. “But the High Court understood the seriousness of the matter and dismissed the application,” Pannu said.
Pannu recalled how during the 2007–17 Akali-BJP rule, Majithia’s political clout and financial rise became so massive that “he started calling himself the General of Majha.” During that period, he said, “Punjab saw how many political careers were destroyed, how many lives were ruined, because the influx of chitta in Punjab happened in that very era.” Associates of Majithia “used red-beacon vehicles, were given police gypsies and had a role in this entire business,” he added.
Talking about DA (Disproportionate Assets), Pannu said the real question was the source of the huge unaccounted money. “Now it is clear, someone is giving Rs 5 crore, someone Rs 10 crore. What kind of loan is this with no documents, no instalments, no return? These companies were created only to convert black money into white. They (Akali Dal Badal) believed they would rule for 25 years, so they thought they can do whatever they want and no one will hold them accountable” he said.
He said even Captain Amarinder Singh has now publicly proved the “chacha-bhatija government,” allegations and today “Captain is defending the Badals more than their own party.” Pannu said the people of Punjab gave AAP a super majority so that “big crocodiles of drug mafia could be arrested.” The Mann Government has always said no corrupt, no drug trafficker, no gangster patron will be spared.
“Those who claimed this case was political vengeance should introspect today. The High Court rejecting Majithia’s bail is itself a stamp on what happened between 2007 and 2017,” he said.On behalf of the Punjab Government and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Pannu warned: “Anyone who dealt in chitta, sheltered gangsters or mafias will face strict action.”