Punjab: After he targeted own AAP govt, Sanour MLA Harmeet Pathanmajra booked in rape case

AAP MLA Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra, who attacked his own party's government over floods and questioned its central leadership, has been booked under the charge of rape.

The lawmaker from the Sanour seat in Patiala said police came to arrest him.

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.

A case has been registered against him, said Pathanmajra, claiming that Punjab Police officials have come to arrest him.

"They can lodge FIRs against me, I can stay in jail, but my voice cannot be suppressed," said Pathanmajra.

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On Monday, Pathanmajra claimed that his security had been withdrawn and that all station house officers and police post heads in his constituency had been transferred.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 had 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.