The cases, filed in separate districts, come just days after Pathak’s defection from AAP to BJP, though the exact charges remain unclear.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, May 2, 2026: Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak, who recently defected from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to the BJP, left his official residence in Delhi through a rear exit on Saturday amid speculation over possible arrest.
Punjab Police have registered two FIRs against Pathak under non-bailable sections in separate districts, though the precise charges have not yet been made public, according to government sources.
Pathak is among seven Rajya Sabha MPs who have quit the AAP to join the BJP. The others include Raghav Chadha, Swati Maliwal, Rajinder Gupta, Vikramjit Sahney, Harbhajan Singh and Ashok Mittal. With the exception of Maliwal, all are from Punjab. Their exit has reduced the AAP’s strength in the Rajya Sabha from 10 to three, dealing a significant setback to the party ahead of the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections.
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News floated that Punjab Police filed an FIR on Sandeep Pathak
BJP MP Sandeep Pathak just by hearing the news fled his home and went to the BJP office to hide
Once a coward, always a coward. pic.twitter.com/3GO3zgZGB5
— Roshan Rai (@RoshanKrRaii) May 2, 2026
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Visuals from the scene showed heightened security outside Pathak’s residence. In one clip, he was seen leaving through a rear gate, entering a waiting vehicle, and driving away.
The development has sparked a political storm, with the BJP and the Shiromani Akali Dal accusing the AAP-led Punjab government of pursuing “political vendetta.” Punjab BJP working president Ashwani Sharma said the timing of the FIRs—coming soon after Pathak’s defection—indicated “fear and panic” within the AAP leadership. He alleged misuse of police machinery to target political opponents, calling it a politically driven action under the guise of law.
BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi also criticised the move, claiming that Punjab Police attempted to raid Pathak’s residence. He questioned the state government’s priorities, suggesting that law enforcement was being directed against opposition leaders rather than addressing broader law and order concerns.
Sharpening the attack, Sharma accused Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of turning Punjab into a “police state,” where dissent invites legal action. He said the BJP would challenge the move through both legal and democratic means.
Echoing similar concerns, Shiromani Akali Dal general secretary Bikram Singh Majithia alleged selective targeting, noting that Pathak had earlier been a key figure within the AAP. He questioned why action was initiated only after Pathak switched sides, saying the sequence of events raises serious questions about intent.
The controversy has intensified political tensions in Punjab, with opposition parties terming the action retaliatory. The state government has not yet issued an official response.
