Punjab cops on his trail, AAP MLA says he feared encounter, denies attack on police

PATIALA: Punjab Police's Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) is leading the search for AAP MLA Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra, who released a video from an undisclosed location on Wednesday, denying any attack on the police team that had gone to arrest him at a relative's home in Haryana's Karnal district on Tuesday.Pathanmajra said he fled because he feared for his life. In the video, the first-time MLA from Sanour said, "My sources in police told me that my staged police encounter was planned. Eight SPs, eight DSPs, five SHOs and encounter specialist Bikram Brar among hundreds of cops arrived to nab one MLA. I respect police but I am disappointed over false police claims."Patiala range DIG Kuldeep Chahal said the MLA is on the run and police teams are out to nab him.

"Patiala SSP can be reached for more details," he said, refusing to comment on Pathanmajra's allegations. Patiala SSP Varun Sharma did not respond to repeated calls and messages.On Tuesday, Patiala Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) in charge, Pardeep Bajwa, had said: "We raided the residence of Pathanmajra's relative in Haryana. He was arrested. But a group of villagers and some miscreants pelted stones at the police team and fired gunshots."

The MLA denied any shots were fired, or that police were attacked at all.Karnal Sadar police station investigating officer SI Sri Bhagwan said: "The Patiala police team didn't inform us about its raids in Dabri. We conducted an investigation and found that no firing or stone pelting occurred. There was no confrontation between villagers and police. A case has been registered on the complaint of Patiala Civil Lines SHO but there are no charges like attempt to murder," he told TOI over phone.The MLA's aide, Balwinder Singh, was arrested in Tuesday's operation, and three pistols were recovered from his possession, said police.Pathanmajra faces accusations of sexual exploitation, cheating, and intimidation, with the complainant alleging a fraudulent marriage and ongoing threats. The FIR was registered at Patiala Civil Lines police station.Before allegedly escaping from custody, Pathanmajra had gone live on Facebook, alleging a vendetta by the Delhi AAP leadership and claiming that the FIR against him and withdrawal of his security cover were retribution for his criticism of the govt's flood management. MSID:: 123679032 413 |