Two FIRs filed against Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak, Punjab police silent
Punjab police reportedly filed two non‑bailable FIRs against defector MP Sandeep Pathak, but have not disclosed details. Political parties allege vendetta as investigations begin.
Punjab police have allegedly lodged two FIRs against Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak after his recent switch from AAP to BJP. No official statement on the charges has been released.
Sandeep Pathak, FIR, Punjab Police, AAP, BJP, political defection, non‑bailable, Delhi residence, Sunil Jakhar, Bhagwant Mann
Punjab police are said to have registered two FIRs against Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak, who defected from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a week ago along with six other legislators.
Sources close to the state government confirmed the existence of the FIRs, but neither the police nor any official spokesperson provided details about the nature of the allegations. The FIRs reportedly contain non‑bailable charges.
Attempts to reach Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav and AAP state spokesperson Baltej Pannu went unanswered. A person answering on Pathak’s phone said the MP was unavailable and had no knowledge of any FIR.
Amid speculation, video footage emerged that appears to show Pathak exiting a white SUV through a rear door on Saturday, shortly before Punjab police arrived at his residence in Pandara Park, Delhi.
Pathak, a former IIT‑Delhi professor, was a key strategist for AAP during the 2022 assembly elections. The timing of the FIRs has sparked a political debate. BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders described the action as a “political vendetta”.
BJP Punjab president Sunil Jakhar stated that his party would not be intimidated by FIRs filed by the AAP‑led government and suggested the moves were intended to divert attention from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s alleged conduct in the assembly.
SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia posted on X, accusing the AAP of “selective targeting” of former loyalists like Pathak, and questioned the use of non‑bailable sections against a defector.
Security around Pathak’s Delhi home was heightened, with additional personnel deployed. Later in the afternoon, Delhi police placed barricades near the residence as a precautionary measure.
The BJP has also critiqued the AAP government’s handling of law and order, citing a worsening drug problem and incidents of criminal targeting of police offices in Punjab. spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi highlighted these concerns.
