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AAP MLA Harmit Singh Pathanmajra, accused of rape, fled to Australia and appeared in a video interview, raising questions on the investigation.
AAP MLA Harmit Singh Pathanmajra, accused of rape, fled to Australia and appeared in a video interview, sparking embarrassment for Punjab Police and raising questions on the investigation. (pic: The Hindu)
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Harmit Singh Pathanmajra, who has been absconding since early September in connection with a rape case, has reportedly fled to Australia, days after appearing in a video interview from abroad.
The development has come as a major embarrassment for the Punjab Police, which has been unable to trace the Sanour MLA despite multiple raids at his known locations. Officials confirmed that a lookout notice has now been issued against him.
Appears in Video From Australia
Pathanmajra appeared in a video interview on Friday with an Australia-based Punjabi web channel, during which he declared that he would “return home only after securing bail.”
In the interview, the first-time legislator denied all allegations against him and called the case a “political conspiracy” aimed at silencing those who speak for Punjab’s people.
“In Punjab, ministers and MLAs are not consulted on key matters. Freedom of speech is being curtailed. After losing in Delhi, those leaders have now taken over Punjab, and they are ruining it the same way,” he said, while expressing faith in the judiciary.
Declared Absconder After Skipping Court
A Patiala court has already initiated proclaimed offender proceedings against Pathanmajra after he failed to appear in connection with the case.
Police sources said the MLA escaped from custody when a team went to arrest him from Dabri village in Haryana’s Karnal district on September 2. The police had claimed that gunshots were fired and stones were pelted by his supporters during the operation.
Pathanmajra, however, denied these allegations, saying he fled only because he feared being “killed in a fake encounter.”
The Case Against Pathanmajra
The case was registered at the Civil Lines police station in Patiala on September 1 under charges of rape, cheating, and criminal intimidation.
A Zirakpur-based woman alleged that the MLA misrepresented himself as divorced before entering into a relationship with her. She claimed the two married in 2021, but later discovered that he was already married.
The woman also accused Pathanmajra of sexual exploitation, repeated threats, and sending obscene messages and material to her.
Political and Police Reaction
The case and the MLA’s alleged escape have raised questions over the police’s handling of the investigation. Pathanmajra’s disappearance — and his video from Australia — have sparked embarrassment for the ruling Aam Aadmi Party, which has yet to issue an official statement.
Meanwhile, Punjab Police officials said efforts are on to seek assistance from central agencies and initiate extradition proceedings if his presence abroad is confirmed.
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d…Read More
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d… Read More
Patiala, India, India
November 09, 2025, 15:17 IST
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