New Delhi: Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak vacated his official residence in the national capital on Saturday, even as reports suggested he could face imminent arrest in connection with two FIRs registered against him in Punjab for non-bailable offences.
According to sources, heightened security was deployed outside Pathak’s residence before he quietly exited from the rear entrance and left in a vehicle. Television visuals captured the movement, while reports indicated that his mobile phone has been switched off and his current whereabouts remain undisclosed. It is learnt that the Bharatiya Janata Party has engaged its legal team to explore options for relief.
Pathak is among a group of seven former Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MPs who recently severed ties with the party led by Arvind Kejriwal and joined the BJP. The mass exit, announced on April 24, also included leaders such as Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal, Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Swati Maliwal and Vikramjit Sahney. Except for Maliwal, all the defecting MPs represent Punjab in the Upper House.
The coordinated departure of seven out of ten AAP MPs in the Rajya Sabha is unlikely to attract disqualification under the anti-defection provisions of the Constitution, as it meets the two-thirds threshold required to bypass such action.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has strongly criticised the development, terming it “illegal” and a “betrayal of the people’s mandate.” He is scheduled to meet President Droupadi Murmu on May 5 to raise the issue.
Amid the political churn, Mann recently secured a vote of confidence in the 117-member Punjab Assembly, reinforcing the ruling party’s majority. The AAP currently holds 94 seats in the House, comfortably ahead of its rivals.
Despite the setback in the Rajya Sabha, Mann asserted that the party’s grassroots support remains unaffected and expressed confidence that it would translate into a stronger mandate in the 2027 Assembly elections.
As the situation unfolds, attention remains focused on Pathak’s next move and the legal proceedings in Punjab that could shape the political narrative in the coming days.
