The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has welcomed the bail granted to its senior leader Bikram Singh Majithia by the Supreme Court in a disproportionate assets case, asserting that truth has prevailed and the alleged political vendetta of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab has been exposed.
Senior SAD leaders Dr Daljit Singh Cheema and Arshdeep Singh Kler said the decision of the apex court had unmasked the “politically motivated campaign” unleashed by the AAP government and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann against Mr Majithia. They alleged that the ruling party had made every possible attempt to keep the Akali leader behind bars by fabricating cases that could not stand judicial scrutiny.
The leaders said the AAP government had failed to defend the disproportionate assets case before the Supreme Court, just as it had earlier failed in the alleged narcotics case registered against Mr Majithia. They recalled that the government could not even present a challan in the narcotics case and that its special leave petition challenging the bail granted to Mr Majithia in that matter had already been dismissed by the apex court.
“It is now clear that after failing miserably in the false narcotics case, the AAP government tried to trap Mr Majithia in another fabricated Disproportionate Assets case. This case, too, will meet the same fate as the earlier one,” the SAD leaders said.
Dr Daljit Singh Cheema alleged that the AAP government proceeded against Majithia in a desperate attempt to silence a strong and consistent voice of opposition. He said Majithia had repeatedly exposed the wrong policies of the Mann government and had been vocal in raising issues concerning the rights and interests of the people of Punjab.
“In its bid to suppress dissent, the government not only misused the police and investigating agencies but also violated the human rights of Majithia,” Dr Cheema said. He asserted that the people of Punjab were watching these developments closely and would give a befitting reply to the AAP government for allegedly framing political opponents through false and motivated cases.
The SAD leaders maintained that the bail granted by the Supreme Court had reaffirmed public faith in the judiciary and strengthened the belief that truth ultimately prevails over political conspiracy.