Patiala, 02 February
The Supreme Court has granted bail to senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia in the high-profile disproportionate assets case investigated by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau.
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta passed the order on February 2, 2026, while hearing Majithia’s plea challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s earlier rejection of his bail application in December 2025.
Key details from the case:
- Majithia was arrested by the Vigilance Bureau on June 25, 2025, from his residence in Amritsar.
- He has been lodged in Nabha Jail (Patiala) since then, spending over seven months in custody.
- The Vigilance Bureau filed a chargesheet comprising around 40,000 pages, alleging that Majithia and his wife accumulated assets worth over ₹540 crore (some reports cite up to ₹700 crore) disproportionate to their known sources of income during the check period of 2007–2017.
- The case was registered under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
- The Supreme Court considered factors such as the completion of the investigation (with the police report/chargesheet already filed under Section 173(2) CrPC), the prolonged custody, the remote nature of the alleged offences, and Majithia’s prior bail in a related NDPS matter (granted in 2022, with the state’s SLP dismissed in 2025).
watch….Sukhbir Badal Blames CM Mann for SYL Canal Compromise
The bail grant is seen as a significant legal relief for the SAD leader and a setback for the Punjab government, though officials (including Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema) have clarified that it does not amount to acquittal—the trial remains ongoing, and the case continues.
This development has sparked political reactions across Punjab, with SAD hailing it as justice prevailing, while the ruling AAP has emphasized that the allegations remain serious and the probe’s evidence stands strong.
The apex court’s decision allows Majithia to be released on bail pending trial, subject to any conditions imposed by the court.
