₹540 crore illegal assets case: SC grants bail, SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia to walk out of jail after 7 months

The Supreme Court on Monday approved bail for Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and former Punjab legislator Bikram Singh Majithia, who faces allegations in a disproportionate assets investigation.

A judicial bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said that the petitioner had previously secured bail in a 2022 case registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. They further noted that the Punjab government's challenge against that bail was dismissed in 2025.

The bench observed that, while the FIR for the disproportionate assets case was filed in 2025, the allegations involve a timeframe spanning 2006 to 2017. Given these conditions and the fact that Majithia had been in detention for the past seven months, the Supreme Court sanctioned his bail plea.

The litigation was initiated under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, following accusations that Majithia accumulated wealth exceeding ₹540 crore beyond his known income. He was taken into custody by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau on 25 June of the previous year and is currently held at Nabha jail in Patiala.

In December, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had turned down his bail application, citing concerns that he might exert influence over the ongoing inquiry. At that time, the high court instructed the Vigilance Bureau to conclude its investigation within a three-month window, suggesting Majithia could reapply for release afterwards.

Previously, the top court had consented to review an interim bail request from the SAD leader. The current charges against him originated from a broader investigation by a Punjab Police special team into a 2021 narcotics case.

In January, SAD representatives met with the Punjab Governor in Chandigarh, claiming the state administration had failed to provide adequate protection for Majithia despite intelligence warnings of a security risk.

The party urged Governor Gulab Chand Kataria to intervene, expressing a lack of confidence in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s ability to ensure the safety of the former minister.

In their formal submission, senior party leaders highlighted what they termed a "grave threat" to his safety and cited potential infringements on his constitutional rights.

"Nothing concrete was being done to safeguard the life of Majithia and that of his family members, despite the directions of the high court following central intelligence inputs that he was likely to be targeted for elimination by the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI)," said The SAD in a representation.

Majithia is notably the brother-in-law of SAD chief and former Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal.