Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Sanour, Harmit Singh Pathanmajra, who has been absconding for over two months, has reportedly fled India even as police continue efforts to arrest him in a rape and cheating case.
In a televised interview, the legislator stated he was currently in Australia, insisting he has been “framed” and would “return once granted bail”.
Pathanmajra, a first-time MLA elected from Sanour in Patiala district, was booked on September 1 under IPC Sections 376 (rape), 420 (cheating), and 506 (criminal intimidation).
A woman from Zirakpur accused him of sexually exploiting her under the false promise of marriage and hiding his existing marriage.
The case triggered widespread political uproar and put the AAP government on the defensive.
Failed Arrest Attempts, Dramatic Escape
In early September, a police team travelled to Karnal, Haryana, to detain him, but the MLA reportedly escaped amid stone-pelting and firing allegedly by his supporters — a dramatic episode that raised questions on law-and-order and possible local sheltering.
Since then, the Punjab Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) and Patiala Police have been searching for him, but without success.
Despite being “missing”, Pathanmajra remained active online. His regular posts and public messages — and now a television appearance — have intensified criticism of the state’s inability to apprehend him.
Legal Troubles Deepen
A Patiala court has already rejected his anticipatory bail plea and issued a proclamation notice directing him to appear before the court on November 12. The notice was pasted outside his government flat recently.
If he fails to appear, he is likely to be declared a proclaimed offender, enabling authorities to seize his assets and properties, making him one of the rare sitting MLAs to face such action.
MLA Speaks From Abroad: Claims Conspiracy
In the interview aired from Australia, Pathanmajra claimed he had not absconded but “left for a few weeks to save his life”, asserting all allegations were politically motivated:
This case is a political conspiracy. I am innocent. I will return home once bail is granted. I have full faith in the judiciary,” he said.
He alleged that he was being targeted for raising concerns about governance and corruption within his own party during the recent floods in Punjab.
Rift Within AAP: Accuses Delhi Leadership
Pathanmajra has repeatedly accused the AAP leadership in Delhi of “remote-controlling Punjab ministers” and punishing leaders who question them: Punjab’s interests are being sacrificed.
Those who speak up are silenced. I raised questions about flood mismanagement, and soon after that, cases were filed against me,” he had said earlier.
Background of Controversies
Pathanmajra has been under the scanner even before this case, with opponents claiming he had strained relations with party leadership and had been sidelined in internal party matters.
His sudden disappearance and now-confirmed foreign exit have only added fuel to speculation that he may attempt to seek asylum abroad or extend his stay to avoid arrest — a pattern reminiscent of other political fugitives.
Meanwhile, Punjab Police continue to face embarrassment as the MLA remains beyond reach even while issuing public statements from overseas — a scenario raising questions about political pressure, enforcement lapses, and international tracing efforts.
The state government has yet to formally comment on whether steps will be taken to initiate extradition proceedings, should Pathanmajra refuse to return voluntarily.
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