Chandigarh, Aug 19 (IANS) The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday launched an attack on Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders after the Mohali district court rejected the bail plea of former minister Bikram Singh Majithia.
AAP MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal and leader Baltej Pannu told the media here that the court’s decision has proved that the Vigilance Bureau acted based on concrete evidence, not political vendetta.
Dhaliwal said, “From the very first day, Akali Dal leaders and some Congressmen tried to mislead the people by claiming that Majithia’s arrest was an act of victimisation. Yesterday’s court decision has exposed their lies and established that the Mann government had strong evidence against Majithia.”
He said the Akali Dal must accept responsibility for the rampant drug trade during its rule from 2007 to 2017.
“It was during their tenure that Punjab witnessed the so-called sixth river flowing in the form of drugs. Everyone had seen Majithia’s photos with Satta and Pindi. He was often seen with them. Even today, Akali leaders shamelessly call these charges false. But now the court has made it clear that the evidence is strong and the case is solid,” Dhaliwal said.
Speaking about Majithia’s aide Satta, Dhaliwal said Interpol has already issued a Blue Corner Notice against him and that the government of India, through its ties with Canada, is pursuing his extradition.
“Once Satta is brought back to Punjab, a massive political storm will erupt. His revelations will expose the deep links between politicians with the drug mafia. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has said repeatedly that many big fish are yet to be caught,” Dhaliwal said.
He added that Vigilance investigations have already exposed how drug networks worth thousands of crores operated under political patronage.
“They mentioned Rs 6,000 crore worth of illegal drug business and Rs 540 crore worth of disproportionate assets that Majithia amassed during this time. This shows the scale of the illegal business that thrived under the Akali regime,” Dhaliwal said.
Supporting Dhaliwal’s remarks, Pannu said, “Everyone knows what Punjab was like before 2007 and what happened between 2007 and 2017. Crores of rupees were transferred into different companies, and luxurious farmhouses of over 90 acres were bought. The court did not reject Majithia’s bail after a 10-minute hearing, but after a detailed 10-day-long argument, clearly showing that the Vigilance acted strictly based on evidence.”
The AAP leaders added that the court’s decision is a victory for the government.
–IANS
vg/dan
