Chandigarh: In a breakthrough after months of pursuit, the Punjab Police have arrested fugitive MLA Harmeet Pathanmajra near Gwalior, concluding a high-stakes manhunt that spanned seven states and relied on a blend of traditional policing and advanced technical tracking.
Officials described the arrest as the result of “credible technical leads” combined with persistent on-ground intelligence. Pathanmajra had been evading authorities for months following controversial remarks targeting senior leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party, making his capture a significant challenge for investigators.
Senior Superintendent of Police Varun Sharma confirmed that the arrest followed a tightly coordinated operation. “It was a meticulously planned 48-hour mission led by SP Vaibhav Chaudhary,” he said, adding that multiple teams had been working continuously to track the accused.
For months, six specialized teams from Patiala had been gathering intelligence, scrutinizing every possible lead. The breakthrough came when investigators identified suspicious activity linked to a hotel Wi-Fi network in the Gwalior region. Further digital analysis revealed the use of a UK-based phone number connected to the network.
According to a senior officer involved in the operation, this digital footprint proved decisive. “There was a narrative suggesting he had fled to Australia, but the technical evidence told a different story. Once we traced the UK number on the Wi-Fi network, it became clear we were closing in on Pathanmajra,” the officer said.
The final phase, internally dubbed “Operation Pathan,” was launched with strict secrecy and involved close coordination between counter-intelligence units and inter-state police forces. Officials credited swift information sharing and synchronized action for the success of the mission.
Authorities say the arrest highlights how modern investigations increasingly rely on a fusion of digital surveillance and traditional fieldwork. Despite attempts to mislead investigators about his whereabouts, Pathanmajra’s trail ultimately unraveled through a combination of human intelligence and technological tracking.
The MLA is now in custody, and further legal proceedings are expected in the coming days.
