: A court here on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia till May 4 in a drugs case.
Majithia, who is lodged in the Patiala jail, appeared before the court through video conferencing.
The SAD leader is yet to file an application for a regular bail in a higher court as the district court had earlier rejected the same. Majithia was sent to judicial custody on February 24 after he surrendered before the court. The Supreme Court had earlier directed the Punjab police not to arrest him till February 23 in the case so that he can undertake electioneering in the state.
Majithia was booked under Sections 25 (punishment for allowing premises), 27 (A) (whoever is financing any activities pertaining to narcotic drugs) and 29 (party to a criminal conspiracy to commit an offence) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act on December 20 last year.
His pre-arrest bail plea was dismissed by the Punjab and Haryana high court on January 24.
In the hearing on April 12, while disposing of the application relating to the threat to Majithia in jail, the court had opined that it is the duty of the jail authorities to protect the life and liberty of every prisoner and to provide inmates basic amenities as per rules.
{{/usCountry}}In the hearing on April 12, while disposing of the application relating to the threat to Majithia in jail, the court had opined that it is the duty of the jail authorities to protect the life and liberty of every prisoner and to provide inmates basic amenities as per rules.
{{/usCountry}}The superintendent, central jail, Patiala has already filed an affidavit in the court that the applicant is being kept under proper security and has been provided all the basic amenities. Thus, the jail authorities cannot be further directed to provide barrack or amenities as per wishes of the applicant.