3 yrs on, multiple SITs but no challan in Majithia drug case

SAD leader is learnt to have appeared before the SITs more than 10 times, latest being 2 weeks ago

- Ravinder Vasudeva & Karam Prakash

CHANDIGARH/ PATIALA: While the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government has constituted the fifth special investigation team (SIT) to look into the 2021 drug case against Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia, the fact remains that the probe teams have so far failed to make any substantial headway in the high-profile case registered during the previous Congress government.

Assistant inspector general (AIG) Varun Sharma has been made the new SIT head, according to the Punjab government order dated March 31. He has replaced deputy inspector general (DIG) Ropar Range HS Bhullar. The two other members of the new SIT are: Tarn Taran senior superintendent of police (SSP) Abhimanyu Rana and SP, NRI (Patiala), Gurbans Singh. Varun Sharma was a member of the outgoing SIT. All earlier SITs were headed by the rank of DIG and above and it is the first time that it is being headed by an AIG-rank officer.

With a raft of SITs reporting no clinching evidence against Majithia so far, the Akali leader has been daring the Mann government to file a challan against him in the court.