The Supreme Court’s decision to grant bail to Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia in the disproportionate assets (DA) case is a significant political defeat for Punjab’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and a boost to the Akali Dal’s morale.
When the AAP took office in 2022, it pledged to eradicate the supposed drug-politics connection, frequently portraying Majithia as a representation of everything it aimed to destroy. His ongoing detention was presented as proof that the “old political class” was at last being held responsible. That meticulously constructed story is now included in the Supreme Court’s bail ruling.
The AAP repeatedly used Majithia as a symbol of everything it sought to demolish when it gained office in 2022 and promised to end the alleged drug-politics relationship. His continued incarceration was used as evidence that the “old political class” was now being held accountable. The Supreme Court’s decision on bail now incorporates that painstakingly crafted narrative.
Majithia has had legal issues under several different regimes. He was at the center of Punjab’s drug problem when the NDPS case against him was filed during the Congress administration, which was led by Charanjit Singh Channi. In that case, he obtained bail, undermining the arguments made by Congress.
Majithia’s involvement in the DA case following the AAP’s election was mostly interpreted as an effort to maintain pressure via a new legal avenue. The higher judiciary has intervened once more to help him.
The statement is detrimental to AAP politically. Bail reinforces the opposition’s accusation that the Mann government has targeted Majithia more as a political target than as a legally sound case, even though it does not equal to acquittal. Majithia has repeatedly referred to the proceedings as a “political vendetta,” and the Supreme Court’s involvement strengthens that claim in the public opinion court.
The development provides a rallying point for the Akali Dal, which is fighting to reclaim lost political ground. With Majithia’s release, the party can portray itself as resilient in the face of ongoing political pressure and claim victimhood under both the Congress and the AAP.
Daljit Cheema, a senior Akali Dal politician, claimed that Majithia had continuously criticized the government’s incorrect policies in addition to standing out for the rights of the people, and that the AAP government had taken action against him in an attempt to silence him.
“In this process, Majithia’s human rights were also violated,” he stated. “Punjabis will give a befitting answer to the AAP government for misusing the police and investigating agencies to frame its opponents in politically motivated cases.”
Perception is frequently just as important as verdicts in Punjab’s highly politicized atmosphere. The Supreme Court’s bail order undoubtedly undermines the AAP’s moral pretense while providing the Akali Dal with a crucial electoral opportunity, even though it may not put a stop to the matter.
