Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia has filed a plea in a Chandigarh court to remove his name from a 2021 criminal case related to a protest. The case involves allegations of violence and violation of orders during a demonstration against rising prices and the 1984 riots. The hearing is set for March 5.
Bikram Singh Majithia, a leader of the Shiromani Akali Dal and former Punjab minister, submitted a discharge application to a district court in Chandigarh. He aims to be excluded from the accused list in a criminal case dating back to 2021. The proceedings are ongoing in a local court, with charges including violence, scuffles with police, and breaching government directives.
The incident occurred when Akali Dal leaders, including Majithia, attempted to reach the Chief Minister's residence in Chandigarh for a protest against escalating prices and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Chandigarh police erected barricades to block the group. Reports indicate that protesters dismantled the barriers, impeded police work, and disregarded official instructions. Clashes ensued, resulting in injuries to some officers. Subsequently, the Sector 3 police station filed an FIR against Majithia and other participants.
In the application, Majithia's lawyer, Rajesh Kumar, highlighted that two fellow accused, Mahesh Inder Grewal and Daljit Singh Cheema, received relief from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which nullified the FIR against them. The defense seeks identical treatment for Majithia, asserting the FIR lacks legal foundation. According to the counsel, 'An FIR cannot be registered directly based on a magistrate’s complaint. Instead, a private complaint should first have been filed under Section 200 of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973 (CrPC).'
The lawyer further argued that authorities possess no evidence or witnesses implicating Majithia, maintaining no viable case exists against him. The court has scheduled the matter for arguments on March 5.
