Sandeep PathakA week ago, he along with six others switched from AAP to BJP.
While sources close to the government confirmed the FIR, no one was willing to talk about it. As of Saturday evening, police had not issued a formal statement on the nature of the charges, but sources said Pathak faces non-bailable charges.
We made multiple attempts to contact DGP Gaurav Yadav and AAP national spokesperson Baltej Pannu but did not get a reply. The person who answered Pathak’s call said he was unavailable and said he was not aware of any FIR. While political speculation rages on, a video purportedly shows Pathak driving a white SUV from the rear exit on Saturday, shortly before Punjab police arrived at his Pandara Park residence in Delhi.
Pathak is a former professor at IIT Delhi and one of AAP’s key strategists during the 2022 assembly elections. The timing of the FIR has triggered a political debate, with the BJP and SAD claiming it was a “political vendetta”. Punjab People’s Party chief Sunil Jakhar said his party would not be intimidated by the FIR filed by the AAP government and claimed that the actions were aimed at “diverting attention from CM Bhagwant Mann’s alleged conduct at the rally”.
Jakhar said those who were once considered loyal to AAP were negatively labeled overnight after leaving the party. He claimed this was to put pressure on remaining members to prevent further defections. SAD member Bikram Singh Majithia posted on.. The FIR under the non-bailable section points to possible vendetta politics following a shift in loyalties. The shift from impact to investigation raises serious questions. “
Security was beefed up and more personnel were deployed outside Pathak’s home in Delhi. In the afternoon, Delhi Police set up roadblocks nearby as part of precautionary measures.
The BJP has questioned the AAP’s priorities amid the deteriorating law and order situation in Punjab. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said the state has been battling the drug menace and criminals have even targeted police offices.