Patiala Police has arrested Sanour MLA and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra in connection with an alleged sexual harassment case registered against him earlier following accusations made by a woman.
According to police officials, Pathanmajra was earlier detained in Karnal, Haryana, but managed to escape custody and allegedly fled abroad to Australia. He was later declared a proclaimed offender after evading law enforcement agencies. During his time overseas, he reportedly appeared frequently on social media live sessions, making statements against the government.
Police tracked his movements after he was recently spotted near Shivpuri district close to Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh. Following a two-day coordinated operation, he was arrested late Tuesday night along with three associates while travelling in a Scorpio vehicle, reportedly on his way to Delhi.
His legal team had filed a petition in the Supreme Court regarding the sexual harassment case, with a hearing scheduled for March 25. A lookout notice had already been issued against the MLA, which ultimately led to his arrest.
Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Varun Sharma stated that efforts to arrest the accused had been ongoing for several months. Multiple police teams were deployed to track him down, working on every possible lead in this high-profile case.
Investigators revealed that technology played a crucial role in the arrest. While it was widely believed that the MLA had escaped to Australia, police received a breakthrough after tracing a Wi-Fi connection at a hotel near Gwalior. During the probe, officers discovered that a UK-based mobile number was being used on the network. Detailed technical analysis confirmed that the number was linked to Pathanmajra, enabling police to locate and arrest him.
The accused has been brought back to Patiala, and further legal proceedings will now follow as per law. He is scheduled to be produced before a court today.
