Old probe links Bikram Majithia to gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 24

In fresh trouble for senior Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia, the Punjab Police have dug up a February 2020 inquiry report that claimed that the former minister allegedly had links with Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and three other gangsters.

Also read: Bikram Majithia faces big challenge of proving allegations wrong

2020 inquiry report

“Facts, circumstances... suggest that he (Jaggu Bhagwanpuria) as a gangster is the creation of Majithia, his supporters... faced 32 FIRs from 2010 to 2015.”

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“Don’t know why our party’s govt sat over such an important report.” — Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Deputy CM

“Inquiry has been conducted by a biased officer. The charges are laughable.” — Daljit Singh Cheema, SAD

The report states Bhagwanpuria was an alleged Majithia creation while the leader “patronised” the three others — Jagtar Singh alias Boxer, Abhijit Singh alias Ankur Lekhari and Sonu Kangla.

Naming Majithia, the report states, “Sources suggest in unequivocal terms that Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, who was a street offender, became a notorious gangster after 2010 when Majithia became all powerful as (then Deputy CM) Sukhbir Singh Badal took charge of the Home Department."

Majithia could not be contacted for comments. His party leaders alleged he was being victimised. SAD president Sukhbir and other leaders had earlier this month courted arrest alleging the Congress was trying to implicate Majithia.

Also read: Bikram Majithia Case: No vendetta, action based on STF report, says Punjab CM

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Sources said the report had come to the notice of Deputy CM Sukhjinder Randhawa. The Akali Dal had in 2019 and 2020 accused Randhawa of “extending facilities to Bhagwanpuria in jail”.

Former CM Capt Amarinder Singh had then asked the police to probe the alleged political-gangster nexus. The inquiry, titled ‘Alleged nexus between politicians and gangsters’, was initiated on November 26, 2019 and its report (The Tribune has a copy) was submitted on February 12 last year. But it was never made public or acted upon.

Randhawa said, “Don’t know why our party’s government sat over such an important report. This even as the Akalis kept on accusing me of having links with gangsters.”

Ex-IG Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh had conducted the probe along with DIG Surjit Singh and AIG Patil Ketal Baliram. The inquiry had focussed on the murders of Bhagwanpuria’s wife Harmanprabh and her alleged friend Satnam Singh, besides cases of other gangsters.

SAD spokesperson Dr Daljeet Singh Cheema said the Congress government was hell bent upon “framing Akali leaders in false cases”. “The inquiry was conducted by an officer who was always biased against us,” he added.