Punjab AAP MLA Harmeet Pathanmajra booked in rape case; escapes police out to arrest, gunshots fired

Patiala: AAP MLA Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra on Tuesday allegedly escaped police out to arrest him in a rape case, sources said. Gunshots were fired, and a policeman sustained an injury after being hit by an SUV in which Pathanmajra escaped, they said. The Sanour MLA was helped in his escape by his supporters, sources said. Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police Varun Sharma could not be reached for comments.

A hunt is on for the MLA, who attacked his own party's government over floods and questioned its central leadership. Earlier in the day, Pathanmajra, in a video message on Facebook, claimed that he had been booked under the charge of rape. According to an FIR filed in the matter, Pathanmajra was booked on charges of rape, cheating, and criminal intimidation. The case was registered on a complaint by a Zirakpur-based woman, who alleged that the MLA misrepresented himself as divorced, entered into a relationship with her, and later married in 2021 while still being married. She accused him of continued sexual exploitation, threats, and sending "obscene" material to her. After the FIR, Pathanmajra went live on Facebook, strongly criticising the Punjab government and alleging that Delhi-based AAP leadership was "illegitimately ruling over Punjab."

He appealed to fellow party MLAs to stand with him, as he alleged that during the Congress or BJP governments, the central leadership did not interfere in state affairs the way AAP's did. "They can lodge FIRs against me, I can stay in jail, but my voice cannot be suppressed," the lawmaker said in the video message. On Sunday, Pathanmajra accused a senior IAS officer of not taking such actions as desilting and cleaning rivers, particularly the Tangri River, despite his requests. He said the government should listen to people or they "will thrash us." Pathanmajra also alleged the party was trying to suppress Punjab MLAs instead of fixing the administration. The MLA said he raised the issue in the Punjab Assembly several times, submitted deputations, and personally met Principal Secretary (Water Resources) Krishan Kumar several times, but "not a single meaningful step was taken." Speaking to reporters on Sunday, as several villages in his constituency were flooded, Pathanmajra lashed out at bureaucrats and said he had been demanding cleaning of the Tangri and permission to allow the use of soil near rivers to strengthen banks, but to no avail. He also urged Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to immediately remove Krishan Kumar from his post. On Monday, Pathanmajra claimed that his security had been withdrawn and that all station house officers and police post heads in his constituency had been transferred. He said that he never anticipated this action. "I had already told my gunmen yesterday that they would be sent back. The Delhi leaders (of AAP) think they can scare me with vigilance (action) or FIRs, but I will never bow down. I will stand like a rock with my people," he said.