Out on bail after 7 months, Majithia twirls moustache, declares ‘Tiger abhi zinda hai’

Patiala: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) functionary and former Punjab minister Bikram Singh Majithia walked out of New Nabha Jail on Tuesday afternoon, a day after the Supreme Court granted him bail in a disproportionate assets (DA) case involving the alleged laundering of Rs 540 crore.Majithia, who was arrested by the Punjab vigilance bureau (VB) on June 25, 2025, emerged from prison gates at 2.15pm and was greeted by a gathering of SAD workers and supporters who had been camping outside the jail since Tuesday morning. Clad in a kurta-pyjama with a half-sleeved jacket on top, Majithia was welcomed with drumbeats and slogans of "Majhe de Jarnail". Twirling his moustache, he said, "Tell them (AAP leadership), tiger abhi zinda hai."He was received by his wife, SAD Majitha MLA Ganieve Kaur Majithia, who also brought a kurta-pyjama for him. Majithia then climbed onto an open SUV as part of a procession and headed for Gurdwara Dukhniwaran Sahib in Patiala.The Supreme Court granted bail to Majithia on Monday, noting that he had already spent seven months in custody and that the investigation's chargesheet had been filed. The DA case pertains to a "check period" between 2007 and 2017, while the FIR was registered only in June 2025, the court noted.On the day Majithia was granted bail, Dera Beas head Gurinder Singh Dhillon met the Akali leader inside Nabha jail. The VB has alleged that Majithia accumulated wealth amounting to Rs 540 crore beyond his known sources of income. The SIT claimed the funds were routed through foreign entities in Singapore and Cyprus. Majithia has consistently maintained that the charges were a "concocted conspiracy" by the AAP-led govt to silence political opposition.Majithia said on Tuesday that the state govt had sought restrictions against him, including a bar on entering Punjab except for court hearings and the imposition of a "social media gag" to prevent him from making public statements. "But the court dismissed these requests, upholding my constitutional right to free speech and noting that as a permanent resident of Punjab, I could not be barred from my home state," he said. "VB also wanted that I should not twirl my moustache, but that is not possible."He alleged a complete disregard for privacy inside the prison, claiming that 32 cameras were installed to monitor him and that even his counsel and family members were not allowed to meet him, violating his human rights. "Truth has triumphed, and the end of oppression has begun. Majithia na rukuga, na jhukuga (Majithia will neither stop nor bow)," he said while addressing the media after his release.He also slammed the govt's alleged attempts to stop his supporters from reaching Nabha jail to welcome him.Majithia also accused AAP of using state machinery for personal vendettas, and urged people to chase the party out of Punjab. "I managed to survive on brinjal curry, but how will you manage when it comes to your (Bhagwant Mann's) turn?" he said.He alleged that the govt made repeated attempts to break him mentally. "I warn Bhagwant Mann that I will maintain a zero-compromise, zero-tolerance policy against you," he added.Thanks rivals for support too Besides thanking his wife and party workers, SAD functionary Bikram Singh Majithia thanked his brother-in-law and SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and his MP sister Harsimrat Kaur Badal. He also thanked long-time rivals from other parties for speaking in his support, including Congress-turned-BJP leaders Capt Amarinder Singh, Sunil Jakhar and Ravneet Bittu, and Congress leaders Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Partap Singh Bajwa, Bharat Bhushan Ashu and Charanjit Singh Channi.MSID:: 127884785 413 |