Fugitive Punjab AAP MLA Pathanmajra arrested from Gwalior in rape case

A Punjab Police team from Patiala arrested absconding Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday night, officials said on Wednesday.

Pathanmajra, a first-time legislator from the Sanaur constituency in Patiala district, had been on the run since September 2 last year in connection with a rape and cheating case. A local court had previously declared him a proclaimed offender and a lookout circular was issued against him.

Following his arrest, he was brought back to Patiala early on Wednesday under tight security and is expected to be produced before a local court.

Tech surveillance led to arrest

According to the police, Pathanmajra was apprehended from the outskirts of Gwalior based on a technical lead. Patiala senior superintendent of police (SSP) Varun Sharma said the tracking team zeroed in on his location after the MLA used a local hotel’s Wi-Fi network.

“The accused was technologically adept and used multiple mobile numbers to evade law enforcement,” SSP Sharma said.

He added that a special team led by a superintendent of police and four inspectors travelled nearly 1,200km overnight to execute the arrest in Madhya Pradesh, codenaming the operation Pathan.

The legal troubles for the AAP MLA began on September 1 last year when a Zirakpur-based woman filed a complaint accusing him of rape, cheating, and criminal intimidation. An FIR was subsequently registered at the Civil Lines police station in Patiala. The complainant alleged that Pathanmajra misrepresented his marital status to enter into a relationship with her.

Back from Australia fortnight ago

Pathanmajra had narrowly escaped arrest on September 2 from the residence of his relative, Gurnam Singh Laddi, a member of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC), at Dabri village in Karnal district. He fled the premises minutes before a Punjab Police raid.

Following the incident, the Haryana Police registered a separate case against the MLA and his relative for obstructing a public servant from discharging duty and facilitating his escape. Investigating officials said that after his escape from Karnal, Pathanmajra initially fled to Nepal by road. He subsequently travelled to Australia, where he held a valid visa and had visited previously. He is believed to have stayed in Australia for several months before returning to India two weeks ago, eventually moving to Gwalior where he was apprehended.