Mon Dec 01 06:02:24 UTC 2025: Summary:

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau has arrested Harpreet Singh Gulati, a close associate of jailed Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia, in connection with a disproportionate assets case. The investigation revealed a ₹10 crore transaction between Gulati’s companies and firms associated with the Majithia family. Authorities allege that Gulati’s firms secured liquor licenses at Majithia’s behest and funnelled funds to Majithia’s family, including for a farmhouse in Delhi and loan repayments, through non-commercial transactions. Majithia himself is already in jail facing charges of laundering ₹540 crore of “drug money.”

News Article:

Majithia Associate Arrested in Punjab, Allegedly Funneled Millions in Suspect Transactions

Chandigarh – December 1, 2025: The Punjab Vigilance Bureau has intensified its investigation into alleged corruption surrounding Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia, arresting his close associate Harpreet Singh Gulati on Saturday, November 30, 2025. Gulati, a prominent figure in the liquor trade, is accused of illicit financial transactions with companies linked to the Majithia family.

According to the Bureau, investigations uncovered a ₹10 crore exchange between Gulati’s companies and Majithia-affiliated firms. Public prosecutor Preet Inderpal Singh stated that Gulati failed to provide satisfactory explanations regarding the transaction during questioning.

A Vigilance Bureau spokesperson further alleged that Gulati’s firms benefited from liquor licenses secured at Majithia’s direction following the Akali Dal’s rise to power in 2007. “Mr. Gulati’s firms allegedly paid ₹4.25 crore (2008-09) and ₹1.40 crore (2009-10) to Mr. Majithia’s companies and family, funding a farmhouse at the Sainik Farms in Delhi and other family benefits,” the spokesperson stated. Authorities also claim that an additional ₹5.49 crore was channeled through Gulati’s firms in 2014-15 to repay loans for Majithia-linked entities. These transactions are considered non-commercial and lacking legitimate business rationale.

Gulati was presented before a court in Mohali and remanded to six days of vigilance custody.

This arrest marks the latest development in a long-running investigation into Majithia, who is already incarcerated at the New Nabha jail in Patiala. He faces charges related to laundering ₹540 crore of “drug money” through various channels. The Bureau filed a 40,000-page chargesheet against Majithia in August. The case originates from a 2021 drug case and a 2018 report from an anti-drug Special Task Force (STF).

Majithia was previously granted bail in August 2022 after spending over five months in jail, but remains in custody on the current charges. The investigation continues, with authorities vowing to uncover the full extent of the alleged corruption network.

Read More