Rape-Accused AAP MLA Flees to Australia, Says He Will Return After Securing Bail

Patiala, Nov 9, 2025: Punjab AAP MLA Harmit Singh Pathanmajra, who has been evading arrest since September 2 in a rape case, is reported to have fled to Australia. The development has caused embarrassment for local police, who conducted multiple raids at his suspected hideouts without success. Patiala police have issued a lookout notice against Pathanmajra after he appeared in a video interview with an Australia-based Punjabi web channel. In the interview, the first-time legislator claimed he would “return home only after securing bail” and denied all charges, calling the allegations a “political conspiracy” meant to silence him. He accused ruling authorities of curbing freedom of speech and said similar mismanagement seen in Delhi was being replicated in Punjab. Pathanmajra expressed faith in the judicial system to resolve the matter. The MLA had escaped police custody when officers went to Karnal in Haryana to arrest him. During that attempt, police said gunshots were fired and stones thrown by supporters, though Pathanmajra denied involvement. He claimed he fled fearing he might be killed in a “fake encounter.” The case against him was registered on September 1 at Civil Lines police station, following a complaint by a woman from Zirakpur. She alleged that Pathanmajra misrepresented himself as divorced, entered a relationship with her, and later married her in 2021 while already being married. She further accused him of ongoing sexual exploitation, threats, and sending obscene material. A Patiala court has initiated proceedings to declare Pathanmajra a proclaimed offender after repeated failures to appear in connection with the rape case. The MLA’s flight abroad has raised concerns over enforcement and the challenges authorities face in bringing elected representatives to justice. Authorities are now coordinating with international agencies to track and facilitate legal proceedings against him, ensuring accountability under Indian law. Rape-Accused AAP MLA Flees to Australia, Says He Will Return After Securing Bail Punjab AAP MLA Harmit Singh Pathanmajra, who has been avoiding arrest since early September in a rape case, has reportedly fled to Australia. The MLA appeared in a video interview with an Australia-based Punjabi channel, saying he would come back only after getting bail. In the interview, he denied all allegations and called the case a “political conspiracy” meant to target him. Pathanmajra had escaped police custody during an arrest attempt in Karnal, Haryana, when authorities claimed gunshots were fired and stones were thrown by his supporters. He, however, denied any involvement and said he left fearing a “fake encounter.” The case against him was registered in Patiala on September 1 after a woman from Zirakpur accused him of misrepresenting himself as divorced, entering a relationship with her, and marrying her in 2021 while already married. She also alleged sexual exploitation, threats, and sending obscene material. The Patiala court has now started proceedings to declare him a proclaimed offender. Police are coordinating with authorities abroad to ensure he faces legal action. The incident has caused concern over enforcement and raised questions about holding public representatives accountable.