Two First Information Reports (FIR) has been filed against Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak in Punjab, days after he left the Aam Aadmi Party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. The FIRs have been filed under non-bailable sections.
As per the reports, charges were related to alleged corruption, and harassment. When the police arrived at Pathak's home, he was not present there.
What Did Pathak Say
Dr Sandeep Pathak, in his response, clarified that he was unaware of the FIRs. He added that the police had not even contacted him, nor had he received any notification of any action. He said, "I have devoted my entire life to serving the country with honesty and integrity. The country is bigger than any party, and I will never betray it. This could be a sign of nervousness on the part of my opponents."
Under the Indian law, non-bailable sections are being invoked in these cases. It is also being reported that the Punjab Police reached his Delhi residence to arrest him. However, no official statement has yet been issued by the police or the relevant agencies on this entire incident. It is reported that Dr Pathak left his home before the news of FIRs became had come to light.
Why Did Pathal Leave AAP
Pathak, along with six other AAP MPs, including Raghav Chaddha, left the Arvind Kejriwal-led party and joined the BJP.
On his decision to quit AAP, Pathak, a few days ago, had said that he only wished to work for the country and it was his only aim. However, working under the AAP had become tougher due to various reasons and that's why he was forced to quit the party and join the BJP, he had said at a press conference on April 24.
"I had never thought that such a situation would ever occur in my life. But it did. I was a part of this party for 10 years. Today, I am separating my path from that of the AAP... When it came to joining a party, I joined AAP because they spoke of new politics and politics of work... In 10 years, I worked hard... All political decisions I made were taken by prioritising the party's interests... I am joining the BJP today and giving up all my positions in AAP," Pathak said.
BJP And Akali Dal Slam Move
Both the BJP and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) have questioned the timing of the FIRs, calling it "political vendetta" against Pathak.
"There is no law in Punjab; now, political vendetta is in effect. Bhagwant Mann and Kejriwal's fear exposed,” Punjab BJP working president Ashwani Sharma wrote on X.
“The fact that a non-bailable FIR was registered against Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak ji in Punjab as soon as he left AAP and joined BJP clearly shows that Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann are using the police as a political weapon,” he added.
Accusing Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of turning Punjab into a "police state”, Sharma said the BJP will fight legally and democratically against this “bullying and dictatorship”.
Akali Dal General Secretary Bikram Singh Majithia also accused AAP of "selectively targeting the fallouts".
“Filing FIRs under non-bailable sections after he shifted loyalties points to possible vendetta politics. From influence to investigation, the shift raises serious questions," Majithia wrote on X.