Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Sanaur, Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra — wanted in a rape and cheating case — has reportedly fled to Australia, where he has now appeared in an interview with an Australia-based news channel, confirming his presence there.
The development has deepened the political crisis for the ruling AAP in Punjab, as Pathanmajra has been absconding since September 2, when an FIR was registered against him at the Civil Lines police station in Patiala. The charges include rape, fraud, and criminal intimidation.
According to the complaint filed by a Zirakpur-based woman, the MLA allegedly developed a relationship with her after falsely claiming to be divorced. She said he married her in 2021 even though he was already married and later sexually exploited and threatened her. The woman also accused him of sending her obscene material and intimidating her when she confronted him about the deceit.
After the complaint, the police launched a statewide manhunt to arrest the legislator. Raids were conducted at multiple locations across Punjab and other states, but Pathanmajra remained untraceable. As pressure mounted, the police issued a lookout notice and pasted posters with his photograph outside his official residence, private house, and bus stand in Patiala, appealing to the public for information about his whereabouts.
Now, with the MLA appearing on television from Australia, the focus has shifted to how he managed to leave the country despite a lookout notice being issued just days ago. In the interview, Pathanmajra denied the allegations, calling the case politically motivated and claiming that he fled Punjab to save his life. He alleged that there was an attempt to stage a “fake encounter” against him, saying police had fired at his car and that he escaped “by the grace of God.”
The MLA’s appearance has triggered a political storm in Punjab, with opposition parties accusing the AAP government of shielding its own MLA and allowing him to evade arrest for over two months. Senior leaders from rival parties have demanded accountability from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, questioning how a sitting legislator facing serious criminal charges could flee the country so easily.
Meanwhile, police officials have maintained that all possible steps are being taken to bring Pathanmajra back. Sources said that the police might now move for a proclamation order to declare him a fugitive and begin proceedings to attach his property if he fails to appear before the court by the next hearing.
Pathanmajra’s lawyers have reportedly said they are preparing to approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court for anticipatory bail. "However, the MLA’s sudden appearance from overseas has only intensified questions over law enforcement lapses and the handling of the case by the state government", say sources close to the development.
