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Majithia drug case: Four years on, no challan filed despite multiple SITs
The drug trafficking case registered against former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) minister Bikram Singh Majithia in December 2021 — considered the basis of the disproportionate assets (DA) case in which he was granted bail by the Supreme Court on Monday — has failed to make any headway for more than four years, with police yet to file a challan
Chandigarh: The drug trafficking case registered against former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) minister Bikram Singh Majithia in December 2021 — considered the basis of the disproportionate assets (DA) case in which he was granted bail by the Supreme Court on Monday — has failed to make any headway for more than four years, with police yet to file a challan.
The case, registered during the Charanjit Singh Channi-led Congress government, has seen the constitution of five special investigation teams (SITs) so far, including two under the Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. Despite repeated claims of “clinching” evidence, none of the SITs has filed a chargesheet in the high-profile case.
Majithia is already out on bail in the NDPS Act case registered under Sections 25, 27A and 29 at the Punjab state crime police station. When he was arrested in the DA case by the vigilance bureau, an official statement had alleged that he amassed wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income using proceeds of drug trafficking.
In August last year, the SIT — now headed by Patiala SSP Varun Sharma — questioned Majithia for nearly three hours at the high-security Nabha jail. Majithia, it is learnt, has appeared before various SITs more than 12 times, but the investigation has yet to reach a conclusion.
On August 18 last year, Punjab Police obtained a blue corner notice from Interpol against Canada-based NRI Satpreet Singh Thiara alias Satta, a co-accused in the 2021 drug case. Thiara, a native of Banga in Nawanshahr, is alleged to be one of Majithia’s close associates and is currently settled abroad.
A DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar-led SIT had earlier claimed to have found suspicious financial transactions in firms linked to Majithia and his family. However, an SIT member said the delay in filing the challan was due to the non-arrest of several alleged associates, including those based overseas, which has hampered the collection of strong prosecutable evidence.
SIT head SSP Varun Sharma, when contacted, said the probe was still underway.
Majithia, a three-time MLA from Majitha and former revenue minister, is accused of possessing assets worth over ₹700 crore — allegedly disproportionate to his declared income by nearly 1,200% — and laundering around ₹540 crore linked to a 2013 drug trafficking network.
He was arrested in the DA case on June 25 last year after the vigilance bureau conducted raids at his Amritsar residence and 25 other locations, seizing digital devices, property documents and financial records.
Majithia was initially booked in December 2021 on the basis of a report prepared by then special task force (STF) chief against drugs, Harpreet Singh Sidhu. The first SIT was headed by AIG Balraj Singh. After the AAP government assumed office in 2022, IG Rahul S took over the probe. In May 2023, IG (Patiala range) MS Chhina was appointed SIT head and continued till his retirement in December 2024. In January 2024, another SIT was formed under DIG Bhullar, followed by the appointment of Varun Sharma as SIT head in March 2025.
According to the 49-page FIR registered at the state crime police station in Mohali, Majithia has been booked under Sections 25, 27A and 29 of the NDPS Act, which carry a punishment of up to 10 years’ imprisonment along with a fine, subject to the court’s decision.
