Supreme Court Grants Bail to Akali Dal Leader Bikram Singh Majithia in Disproportionate Assets Case

Chandigarh:The Supreme Court on Monday granted bail to Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and former Punjab minister Bikram Singh Majithia in a high-profile disproportionate assets case, providing significant relief to him after nearly seven months of judicial custody.

Majithia was arrested by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau in June last year from his Amritsar residence in connection with allegations of amassing wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income. He had been lodged in Nabha Jail since June 25.

The apex court allowed his bail plea in the case involving alleged assets worth around ₹700 crore, observing that the investigation had already been completed and the charge sheet filed. The court noted that Majithia had remained in custody for a considerable period and that continued detention was not justified at this stage.

Background of the Case

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau had registered a case against Majithia under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, alleging that between 2007 and 2017, when he served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly and a Cabinet Minister, he accumulated assets amounting to nearly ₹540 crore beyond his declared income.

Investigators had also accused Majithia and his wife of creating assets through an alleged foreign financial network. In August 2025, the Vigilance Bureau filed a voluminous charge sheet spanning over 40,000 pages, detailing the alleged financial irregularities.

Majithia had earlier approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking bail, but his plea was rejected, prompting him to move the Supreme Court.

Court’s Observations

Granting bail, the Supreme Court took note of the fact that Majithia had already been granted bail in a separate NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) Act case in 2022, and the state government’s challenge to that bail had been dismissed.

The court further observed that although the alleged disproportionate assets pertain to the period between 2007 and 2017, the FIR was registered only in 2025. Since the police report under Section 173(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code had already been filed, the court held that prolonged incarceration was not warranted.

Political Significance

The bail order is being seen as a major relief not only for Bikram Singh Majithia but also for the Shiromani Akali Dal, which has consistently termed the case as politically motivated. Party leaders welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision, calling it a victory for justice.

The case, however, will continue to be tried in the lower court, and the Vigilance Bureau has stated that it will pursue the matter in accordance with the law.