In a shocking turn of events, Harmeet Pathanmajra, AAP MLA from Sanour, escaped police custody on Tuesday morning after allegedly opening fire at officers and running over a policeman.
Authorities are currently pursuing the MLA and his aides, who fled in two vehicles – a Scorpio and a Fortuner.
Arrest and Escape
Pathanmajra was arrested earlier in the day in Karnal in connection with a rape case. While being transported to the local police station, he and his aides allegedly fired at the police team. When an officer attempted to intervene, he was reportedly run over, and the suspects escaped.
Police later intercepted the Fortuner, recovering three firearms, but Pathanmajra was in the other vehicle and remains at large. Law enforcement teams continue to chase the MLA.
Charges Against the MLA
The FIR against Pathanmajra includes charges of rape, cheating, and criminal intimidation. The case was filed after a woman alleged that the MLA misrepresented himself as divorced and initiated a relationship with her, leading to sexual exploitation and threats. The complainant also accused him of sending obscene material.
Background of the Case
The 45-year-old complainant, who is divorced and has a daughter living abroad, said she began a relationship with Pathanmajra around 2013. They married in 2021 at a Ludhiana gurdwara. However, in 2022, while Pathanmajra was contesting the state elections from Sanour, she discovered he had listed his first wife in his election affidavit.
The complainant claimed Pathanmajra pressured her to accept the situation and repeatedly promised to divorce his first wife, which forms the basis of the cheating and criminal intimidation charges.
Political Fallout
Pathanmajra had previously criticised the AAP government in Punjab over flood management. Following the FIR, he went live on Facebook, asserting that legal actions would not silence him and alleging that the party leadership in Delhi was “illegitimately ruling over Punjab.” He claimed that his personal security had been withdrawn as retaliation for his criticism.
“They can lodge FIRs against me, I can stay in jail, but my voice cannot be suppressed,” he said.
