The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) arrested Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and former state minister Bikram Singh Majithia on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in connection with a fresh case registered against him for allegedly possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. The arrest followed raids on multiple properties linked to Majithia across Punjab.
According to VB officials involved in the probe, financial documents and transactions linked to Majithia revealed significant discrepancies, leading to the action under the Prevention of Corruption Act. A senior VB official stated that besides Majithia's Amritsar residence, simultaneous raids were carried out at 25 properties across Punjab, with nine of them located in Amritsar district.
The new FIR stems from findings during the ongoing investigation into a 2021 drug-trafficking case registered against Majithia during the previous Congress government's tenure. Majithia is also the brother-in-law of SAD chief and former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal. He was previously arrested in February 2022 in the drug case and spent several months in judicial custody before securing bail from the Punjab and Haryana High Court in August 2022, a bail which was upheld by the Supreme Court in April 2025, albeit with strict conditions, including restrictions on influencing witnesses or making public statements about the case. Majithia was most recently questioned in March 2025 by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) regarding hawala transactions and suspicious financial dealings linked to drug syndicates.
Responding to the raids and his subsequent arrest, Majithia posted on X, stating that he had anticipated such actions from the Bhagwant Mann government, accusing them of fabricating cases against him after failing to find any evidence in the drug case. He asserted that he would not be intimidated and would continue to voice the concerns of Punjab. Majithia's wife, Ganieve Kaur, who is also an Akali MLA, claimed that a team of 30 officials stormed their house during the raid, alleging that they entered without warning.
The arrest has sparked political reactions, with some opposition leaders criticizing the move. Congress leader Sukhpal Khaira condemned the raid, calling it an act of political vendetta and expressing concerns over the political climate in Punjab.
While there's no direct mention of Arvind Kejriwal's specific reaction to Majithia's arrest in the provided search results, it's important to note the historical context. In 2018, Kejriwal had apologized to Majithia for making "unfounded" allegations against him related to drug trafficking during the run-up to the Punjab assembly elections. This apology led to significant backlash from within Kejriwal's own Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab. Given this history, Kejriwal's current stance on the matter remains to be seen. However, AAP has maintained a firm stance against drug trafficking. Sisodia stated, "The resolution to make Punjab drug-free, taken by AAP Convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, will be fulfilled."
