Punjab Vigilance Bureau files 40,000-page charge sheet, intensifying Majithia’s DA case.
Chandigarh: The disproportionate assets (DA) case against Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia took yet another political twist on Friday, when the Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) produced a massive charge sheet in the Mohali court, carried in trunks due to its sheer size. The document, running into more than 40,000 pages, is one of the largest charge sheets ever filed in the state and is being seen as both a legal and political turning point.
The Vigilance Bureau has accused Majithia, a former minister and one of the most prominent leaders of the Shiromani Akali Dal, of amassing assets worth over Rs 700 crore that are disproportionate to his known sources of income. The charge sheet contains the testimonies of nearly 200 witnesses, details of 400 bank accounts, and findings from raids conducted at 15 locations spread across Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi.
What has given the case an added political edge is that statements of several leaders from both the Akali Dal and the BJP have also been recorded in the probe.
The visual of court staff and Vigilance officers wheeling in trunks of documents underscored the gravity of the case and quickly became a political talking point. For the Aam Aadmi Party government, the charge sheet is being projected as evidence of its resolve to take on corruption and the alleged drug-money nexus in Punjab politics. For the Akali Dal, it is fresh proof, they say, of a political vendetta designed to weaken their leadership and tarnish their image ahead of electoral battles.
Majithia, arrested on June 25, has remained in custody since then. He was first sent into the Vigilance Bureau’s remand and later shifted to judicial custody at New Nabha Jail. His bail plea was rejected earlier this month by the Mohali District Court, which cited the seriousness of the charges and the possibility of tampering with evidence. Public Prosecutor Ferry Sofat told the court that the investigation was still underway and that premature release could derail the process.
Majithia’s defence team, led by advocate Arshdeep Singh Kler, argued the case was politically motivated and indicated they would challenge the order in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The High Court has already granted him four weeks to amend his petition challenging his arrest, with the next hearing listed for August 26.
The Vigilance Bureau’s charge sheet claims that Majithia’s wealth was spread across multiple states and concealed through benami properties, shell firms, and complex banking transactions. The bureau has highlighted luxury cars, land holdings, and high-value investments allegedly linked to Majithia and his close associates. Investigators argue that the documents establish a pattern of laundering and disproportionate asset building over several years.
