Chandigarh: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator from Sanaur of Punjab’s Patiala district, Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra, allegedly fled from his relative’s house in Karnal’s Dabri village, minutes after the Punjab police reached there to arrest him on Tuesday morning in connection with an alleged rape case.
Even though an official statement from the Punjab police was still awaited, information was that Pathanmajra, had taken shelter at the residence of his relative Gurnam Singh Laadi, a member of Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC), since Monday, in Dabri village of Haryana Karnal district.
According to information, the accused MLA Pathanmajra reportedly fled by jumping over the wall of the house with the help of his supporters and relatives while some of them pelted stones on the police team which had come to arrest him. According to unconfirmed reports, gunshots were also fired during his escape and at least one police personnel was hit by a speeding vehicle in which Pathanmajora allegedly fled.
One of the aides of the MLA was also reportedly arrested and three weapons were recovered from him.
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A case of rape, cheating and criminal intimidation was registered on Monday against Pathanmajra on the basis of a complaint lodged in 2022 by a woman, resident of Patiala’s Zirakpur town who alleged that he had entered into a relationship with her stating that he was divorced in 2021, while he was still being married. She accused him of continued sexual exploitation, threats and sending ``obscene’’ material to her.
Surprisingly, the said police action came a day after the security of the accused MLA was withdrawn. Also, it followed after he on Sunday slammed chief minister Bhagwant Mann government for poor preparedness to handle flood situation in Punjab. He had also blasted the department principal secretary Krishan Kumar in the context.
Pathanmajra had also gone live on Farebook announcing that he was being booked in an old rape complaint and appealing his supporters and other AAP MLAs to raise their voice against Delhi’s AAP top leadership ``for their constant interference in the state’s affairs and to save Punjab’’’. Besides, he also asked his supporters to protest against the district police chief for the action against him.
For record, Pathanmajra is fourth AAP MLA to be arrested; the other three MLA arrested in corruption case, were former health minister and Mansa MLA Vijay Singla arrested in 2022, Bathinda MLA Amit Rattan Kotfatta in 2023 and Jalandhar Central MLA Raman Arora case, earlier this year.
