Chandigarh: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia on Thursday appeared before a court in Mohali in connection with a drugs case, complying with the directions of the Supreme Court.
Speaking to reporters outside before entering the court premises, Mr Majithia said, "As per orders of the Hon'ble Supreme Court, I have appeared before the (Mohali) court".
The top court had recently directed the Punjab Police to not arrest the former Punjab minister till February 23 in a drugs case so he can undertake electioneering in the state.
A bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices A S Bopanna and Hima Kohli had, however, directed Majithia to surrender before a trial court after the Punjab assembly polls on February 20.
It had also directed the trial court to hear and expeditiously decide Majithia's regular bail plea after his surrender in the case.
The pre-arrest bail plea of Mr Majithia, who was booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act on December 20 last year, was dismissed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on January 24. An appeal had been filed in the apex court.
Mr Majithia, who is the SAD MLA and brother-in-law of SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and brother of former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, contested the February 20 polls from the Amritsar East constituency, from where Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu is seeking re-election.
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