PATIALA – In a significant development in the high-profile criminal case involving an elected official, a local court on Sunday granted the Patiala Police a seven-day extension of remand for Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra.
The legislator, who represents the Sanour constituency, was produced in court following the expiration of his initial four-day remand. While the prosecution aggressively lobbied for a 10-day window to facilitate “intensive interrogation,” the court settled on a one-week period to allow investigators to probe deeper into the allegations of sexual assault and the circumstances of his prior evasion of the law.
The Allegations and Initial Flight
The legal troubles for Pathanmajra began on September 1, 2025, when a woman from Zirakpur filed a formal complaint at the Civil Lines Police Station in Patiala. The MLA was subsequently booked under charges of:
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Rape * Criminal Intimidation
Following the registration of the FIR, Pathanmajra allegedly went into hiding, sparking a multi-state manhunt. The trail initially led to Karnal, Haryana, where the situation turned violent. During a raid at a relative’s residence, Pathanmajra’s accomplices reportedly pelted stones and opened fire on the Patiala Police party, resulting in injuries to at least one officer and allowing the MLA to flee.
The Gwalior Arrest
After months of speculation—including unverified reports that the MLA had fled to Australia—the Patiala Police successfully tracked him to the vicinity of Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. He was apprehended earlier this week and brought back to Punjab to face the judicial process.
“The extension of the remand is crucial for the recovery of evidence and to establish the full timeline of the accused’s movements while he was absconding,” stated a source close to the investigation.
Political Implications
The arrest and subsequent remand of a sitting MLA pose a significant challenge for the ruling Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab. While the party has maintained a stance of “law taking its own course,” the opposition has been quick to demand strict accountability and the MLA’s resignation.
Timeline of Events
| Stage | Description |
| Sept 2025 | FIR registered in Patiala based on a Zirakpur woman’s complaint. |
| Oct – Dec 2025 | Failed arrest attempt in Karnal; police attacked by supporters. |
| Jan – Feb 2026 | Period of evasion; rumours of international flight surface. |
| March 2026 | Arrested in Gwalior, MP; brought to Patiala for trial. |
| March 29, 2026 | Court grants 7-day extension of police remand. |
The police are expected to conduct further raids and question Pathanmajra’s associates during this seven-day window to identify those who harbored him during his time as a fugitive.
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