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Rape accused AAP MLA Harmit Pathanmajra arrested from Gwalior after 6 months on run

He was brought back to Patiala and presented before a court, which sent him to a four-day police remand, he added.

3 min readChandigarhUpdated: Mar 26, 2026 04:29 AM IST

Absconding for 6 months, Punjab MLA accused of rape arrested from Gwalior

AAP MLA Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra being taken to court in Patiala. (Express photo by Harmeet Sodhi)

AAP MLA Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra was arrested from Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior, more than six months after he escaped police custody in a rape case, a senior Punjab Police officer on Wednesday said.

Pathanmajra, the first-time MLA from Sanour, was nabbed along with his three associates from the outskirts of the Gwalior area late on Tuesday night, Patiala SSP Varun Sharma said. He was brought back to Patiala and presented before a court, which sent him to a four-day police remand, he added.

SSP Sharma told reporters that the breakthrough came from a hotel Wi-Fi connection in Gwalior, where a UK-based mobile number was traced. Investi was allegedly being used by Pathanmajra, ultimately leading police to his location. He was arrested along with his three associates, the SSP said.

The Patiala police had booked Pathanmajra under Sections 376 (rape), 420 (cheating), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on September 1, 2025. The case was registered based on a complaint by a Zirakpur-based woman, who alleged that the MLA misrepresented himself as a divorcee, entered into a relationship with her and later married her in 2021 while already being married. She had also accused him of continued sexual exploitation, threats and sending “obscene” material to her.

Pathanmajra’s arrest came two days after former transport minister Laljit Singh Bhullar was held from Mandi Gobindarh on charges of abetting the suicide of an official of the warehousing corporation in Amritsar.

Pathanmajra is the sixth Punjab AAP MLA to be arrested after the party assumed power in 2022. In May 2022, then health minister Vijay Singla was held on corruption charges. Bathinda Rural MLA Amit Rattan Kotfatta was held in a bribery case in February 2023. Jalandhar Central MLA Raman Arora was arrested in a corruption case involving an official of the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation in May 2025, while Khadoor Sahib MLA Manjinder Singh Lalpura was held after he was convicted in a 2013 molestation and assault case last September.

Pathanmajra had been on the run since September 2, a day after the FIR was registered against him. A police team from Punjab had manged to trace Pathanmajra to his relative’s residence at Dabri village in Haryana’s Karnal. Pathanmajra, however, managed to escape from police custody amid allegations that gunshots were fired and stones were pelted by his supporters. Pathanmajra denied the police claim and said he fled after learning that he would be killed in a “fake encounter”.

Kanchan Vasdev

Kanchan Vasdev is a Senior Assistant Editor in The Indian Express’ Punjab bureau. She is a highly experienced journalist with 22 years of expertise covering high-stakes politics, governance, and social issues in Northern India. Professional Background Role: Primary reporter covering the Punjab Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), government policies, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership in the state. Experience: She previously worked with The Tribune and has played a key role in launching various city editions. Special Projects: Abandoned Brides: Authored a monograph on brides abandoned by NRIs as part of the Prabha Dutt Memorial Fellowship. Environment: Worked as a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) fellow, focusing on the pollution levels in the Satluj river. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reporting focuses on the legislative strategies and political maneuvers of the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government: 1. Legislative & Governance Standoffs "Punjab govt advances special Assembly session to pass resolution against VB-G RAM G Bill" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the state's move to block the Centre's "Viksit Bharat" mission, which the state claims will undermine MGNREGA. "Punjab govt doubles down on special sessions, sixth in January" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing the AAP government's use of special sessions as a legislative tool amid tensions with the Governor. "Punjab asks 'VIP teachers' working near Chandigarh to go back to border districts" (Dec 16, 2025): Reporting on CM Mann's move to end the practice of influential teachers avoiding postings in remote areas. 2. Political Analysis & Rural Polls "Punjab rural polls: Why Akalis are likened to dinosaurs in Punjab" (Dec 19, 2025): Analyzing CM Bhagwant Mann's rhetoric against the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) following local body elections. "AAP claims win in 78% Punjab zila parishads as counting continues" (Dec 18, 2025): Breaking down the results of the 2025 rural elections. "Rahul Gandhi and Sidhu alike, says Bhagwant Mann" (Dec 13, 2025): Covering the CM's critique of the Congress leadership. 3. Law Enforcement & Bureaucracy "Suspended Punjab IPS officer Ravjot Kaur Grewal awaits reinstatement" (Dec 10, 2025): Investigative reporting on the bureaucratic red tape involving the Election Commission and the state government. "Punjab declines to give parole to Amritpal Singh" (Nov 27, 2025): Detailing the state government's refusal to grant parole to the radical preacher and sitting MP. 4. Welfare & Economy "Punjab government's plan to add more freebies to 'atta-dal' scheme hits funds roadblock" (Dec 4, 2024): An analysis of the fiscal challenges facing the state's flagship food security program. "Mann leads Punjab delegation to Japan and South Korea for investor outreach" (Dec 2, 2025). Signature Beat Kanchan Vasdev is known for her insider access to Punjab's political executive. Her writing provides deep insights into how state policies are formulated and the friction points between the state government and central authorities. Her dual expertise in environment and law allows her to report on complex issues like the "Farmhouse Policy" (Dec 18, 2025) and river pollution with a unique policy-oriented lens. X (Twitter): @kanchan99 ... Read More

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