In a shocking turn of events in Punjab, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra was arrested by police, but then he unexpectedly escaped from custody. This all happened just a day after the Punjab government withdrew his security cover.
Harmeet Pathanmajra, who represents Sanour, made a Facebook video claiming that the police have booked him under Section 376, related to an old case involving his ex-wife. He accused the Delhi AAP leadership of trying to control Punjab and silence his voice. He also said that the case is linked to a personal dispute and that the police are misusing law against him.
However, AAP leader Baltej Pannu explained the situation. He said the police took Pathanmajra into custody based on a complaint from a woman who claimed she was in a relationship with him since 2021 and that they even got married at a gurdwara. The woman alleged that Pathanmajra tried to reconnect with her recently and threatened to leak private photos and videos when she threatened to go to police. That’s why the police registered a case, including charges of rape.
Pathanmajra publicly blamed senior officers, particularly from the Irrigation Department, for ignoring the worsening flood situation in Punjab. Just before his arrest, he highlighted issues with the management of rivers, including the Tangri River, and demanded the removal of officials he accused of negligence.
He also criticized the Punjab government, especially Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, urging him to remove officials like Krishan Kumar, whom he blamed for ignoring flood and river desilting work. Pathanmajra warned that if citizens’ concerns aren’t addressed, the AAP government could face serious trouble in the 2027 elections.
On Monday, he announced that his security security team of 12 personnel had been withdrawn and that police officers in his constituency had been replaced. He claimed he had foreseen this move and accused Delhi AAP leaders of trying to intimidate him, warning that if the party doesn’t listen, it could lose power soon.
The controversy deepened when the opposition slammed the Punjab government. Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa called the police action a “political vendetta” and accused the government of dragging out justice. He questioned why the case, which relates to incidents from 2014 to 2024, was not acted upon earlier and why Pathanmajra was not questioned in the past.
Bajwa also pointed out that the arrest came at a time when Pathanmajra was criticizing the government, implying it was a strategic move. He accused the Punjab government of running a “government of extortion and blackmail,” not good governance.
As the story develops, the case raises serious questions about law, order, and political fairness in Punjab. The authorities say Pathanmajra was located in Haryana and taken into custody, but he somehow managed to escape from the police. The entire incident has created a huge buzz, with many wondering what next for the controversial MLA and Punjab’s political landscape.
