Overview
- An Amritsar court on Monday granted anticipatory bail to Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia and two associates, reducing the immediate possibility of their arrest in the May 31 matter.
- The FIR, filed after the Majitha police-station incident, accuses Majithia and about 50–60 supporters of attempting to free detainee Jobanpreet Singh and lists charges under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Arms Act.
- Police allege that a protester brandished a pistol and that a sub-inspector’s mobile and official records were snatched or damaged during the incident, details that form key elements of the SIT investigation.
- Investigators previously conducted raids at Majithia’s residences, issued a lookout circular and formed a Special Investigation Team, while the SIT told the court that Majithia’s legal adviser Bikramjit Bath was not required and he was discharged.
- The case has intensified party politics in Punjab, with the SAD calling the prosecution a political vendetta and Majithia framing the bail as a legal reprieve, and the ongoing court and SIT proceedings will determine whether the criminal allegations lead to charges and trial.