The Supreme Court on Monday strongly criticised the Punjab government for the frequent absence of its lawyers in court proceedings, warning that such negligence could not continue.
The court directed Punjab's Advocate General to ensure that government advocates appear in cases without fail.
A bench comprising Justices JK Maheshwari and Aravind Kumar expressed its frustration while hearing the Punjab government's appeal against a Punjab and Haryana High Court order granting bail to former minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia on August 10, 2022.
Addressing the Advocate General, the court remarked that the state’s legal representatives were consistently failing to appear, even after notices had been served.
"Mr. Advocate General of Punjab, we have already called you in one case. In your state, even after service of notice, your panel advocates in the Supreme Court are not appearing. We have already referred to this issue in two orders. This is an everyday drama. 'State of Punjab' means absent. It is happening not only in criminal cases but in civil cases as well. Nobody is appearing," the bench observed.
Following the remarks, the Punjab government sought additional time to prepare, prompting the court to adjourn the matter for two weeks.
Also Read: 800 farmers released, 450 more to be freed: Punjab Police
During the hearing, Punjab’s Advocate General Gurminder Singh apologised for the lapses and assured the bench that such incidents would not occur again.
The case in question pertains to a drug-related investigation against Bikram Singh Majithia. The Supreme Court had earlier directed Majithia to appear before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) at its headquarters in Patiala, as the Punjab government had alleged that he was not cooperating with the probe.
Majithia, however, maintained that he was being targeted for political reasons and requested the court to set specific dates for his questioning.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court, while granting bail to Majithia, noted that there were "reasonable grounds" to believe he was not guilty. However, it clarified that this finding was limited to the bail proceedings and that the trial court should conduct its hearings independently.
Majithia was released from Patiala Jail after spending more than five months in custody. He is the brother-in-law of Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal and the brother of former Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal.
The case against him is based on a 2018 report by the anti-drug Special Task Force (STF), which was investigating a major drug trafficking network in Punjab.
The allegations stem from confessional statements made by key accused individuals, including drug smugglers Jagjit Singh Chahal, Jagdish Singh Bhola, and Maninder Singh Aulakh, to the Enforcement Directorate.
Also Read: HP: Hotelier in flag row warned, told to avoid social media
Follow us
