CHANDIGARH: The Punjab cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, has granted sanction to prosecute senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and former minister Bikram Singh Majithia under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
Majithia, currently lodged in Nabha jail, faces allegations of amassing disproportionate assets worth hundreds of crores through shell firms and overseas entities. The sanction is a crucial step that allows investigative agencies to move forward with a formal trial, though the file will now be sent to the Governor for final approval.
The development comes at a politically sensitive time. While the AAP government has projected the move as a step toward accountability, the SAD has hit back, alleging political vendetta. Party leaders maintain that the cases against Majithia are aimed at weakening the opposition ahead of future electoral battles.
Majithia, once a powerful minister in the Parkash Singh Badal government and brother-in-law of former Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal, has been battling multiple legal cases in recent years. His prosecution sanction is expected to trigger a fresh round of confrontation between the ruling AAP and the Akali Dal.
Political observers note that the decision strengthens the Mann government’s anti-corruption narrative but could also sharpen Punjab’s already polarized political climate.