Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra, representing Punjab’s Sanour constituency, remains on the run after escaping police custody on September 2, 2025, in Haryana’s Karnal district. Booked in a rape case, Pathanmajra denied allegations of firing at police during his escape, claiming in a video from an undisclosed location on September 3 that he fled to avoid a “fake encounter” orchestrated by AAP’s Delhi leadership. The Punjab Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), known for tackling hardcore criminals, has been deployed to apprehend him, intensifying the manhunt.
Pathanmajra’s escape unfolded in Dabri village, Karnal, where he was hiding at a relative’s residence. A Punjab Police team, led by the Patiala Crime Investigation Agency (CIA), arrested him early Tuesday in connection with a rape case filed on September 1 at Patiala’s Civil Lines police station. According to CIA in-charge Pardeep Bajwa, villagers and supporters allegedly pelted stones and fired gunshots at the police, enabling Pathanmajra to flee in a Scorpio SUV, leaving a Fortuner behind. A policeman was injured after being hit by the escaping vehicle. Police arrested Pathanmajra’s aide, Balwinder Singh, and recovered three weapons, along with the seized Fortuner.
In his video message, Pathanmajra accused AAP’s “Delhi lobby” of targeting him for criticizing their interference in Punjab’s governance. “I never confronted the police or fired any shots. They tried to fire at my car, but I escaped by another route,” he claimed, alleging a massive operation involving 400-500 personnel, including senior officers, was launched to frame him as a fugitive gangster. He invoked Punjab’s resilience against historical invaders like Abdali, urging fellow MLAs and ministers to resist external control over the state. Pathanmajra also noted that AGTF’s Deputy Superintendent Bikramjit Brar, a decorated officer known for neutralizing gangsters like those involved in Sidhu Moosewala’s murder, is leading the chase.
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The rape case stems from a complaint by a Zirakpur-based woman who alleged Pathanmajra misrepresented himself as divorced, married her in 2021 while still married, and subjected her to sexual exploitation and threats. After the FIR, Pathanmajra went live on Facebook, accusing AAP’s Delhi leadership of “illegitimately ruling Punjab” and rallying supporters to protest. His criticisms followed earlier remarks on September 1, where he blamed senior IAS officer Krishan Kumar for failing to desilt the Tangri River, exacerbating floods in his constituency.
AAP leader Baltej Pannu countered that Pathanmajra raised the flood issue only after learning of impending police action, dismissing his allegations as a diversion. The LDF government’s withdrawal of Pathanmajra’s security cover and the transfer of police officers in Sanour on September 1 further fueled his claims of political vendetta. The AGTF, now scanning CCTV footage and mobile data, is determined to track him down, with sources emphasizing the government’s resolve to apprehend the fugitive MLA.
The saga has sparked a political storm, with Pathanmajra’s escape exposing tensions within AAP and raising questions about governance in Punjab. As the AGTF tightens its net, Pathanmajra’s fate hangs in balance, with his allegations of a conspiracy adding fuel to an already volatile situation.
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