Punjab MLA Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra, who has been a fugitive since September 2nd, has released a defiant video. This comes after he evaded police custody in Haryana’s Karnal during an arrest attempt related to a rape case.
In his recent video, the Sanaur legislator directly accused his fellow Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs and various farmer organizations of failing to stand by him during this crucial time. He highlighted their alleged lack of support following the accusations against him.
Authorities had previously stated that during their attempt to apprehend Pathanmajra at a relative’s home in Dabri village, Karnal district, his supporters allegedly fired gunshots and pelted stones. However, Pathanmajra vehemently denies any involvement in the firing incident, claiming he fled because he feared being killed in a “fake encounter.”
He further alleged that he is being targeted for daring to speak out against Delhi-based AAP leaders and for holding an IAS officer accountable for the state’s recent devastating floods. “My only fault is that I raised Punjab’s water issue, and the state faced devastation in the recent floods,” he stated in the video, emphasizing the lack of backing from his party or farmer groups.
Pathanmajra also expressed concern for his family, revealing that his wife is unwell and his son and daughter are in hiding, fearing they might be falsely implicated in cases. He explicitly stated that the Punjab government would be held responsible if anything were to happen to his wife.
The legal troubles for the MLA began on September 1st when police at Civil Lines station registered a case against him for rape, cheating, and criminal intimidation. The complaint, filed by a Zirakpur-based woman, alleges that Pathanmajra falsely claimed to be divorced, entered into a relationship with her, and then married her in 2021 despite already being married. She further accused him of ongoing sexual exploitation, threats, and sending “obscene” material.
A local court denied his anticipatory bail plea on September 10th. Despite intensive police efforts, Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra remains at large. In a related development on September 17th, AAP appointed Ranjodh Singh Hadana as the new in-charge for the Sanaur assembly constituency.