Punjab Police File FIRs Against Sandeep Pathak Following Party Switch
2 FIRs lodged against ‘turncoat’ Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak, Punjab Police reach parliamentarian’s Delhi residence
The Indian Express
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Punjab Police have filed two FIRs against Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak for non-bailable offenses after his recent switch from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The police's actions have been criticized by BJP leaders as politically motivated retaliation by AAP leaders Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal.
- 01Two FIRs filed against Sandeep Pathak for non-bailable offenses.
- 02Pathak switched from AAP to BJP, prompting police action.
- 03BJP leaders claim the FIRs are politically motivated.
- 04The incident follows a raid by the Punjab Pollution Control Board on a company linked to Pathak.
- 05The Trident Group has challenged the PPCB raid in court.
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Punjab Police have lodged two FIRs against Sandeep Pathak, a Rajya Sabha MP who recently defected from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The FIRs involve non-bailable offenses, and a police team traveled to Pathak's residence in Delhi, but he reportedly left before their arrival. This development follows a raid by the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) on April 30 at a unit of the Trident Group, where Rajinder Gupta, another MP who switched to BJP alongside Pathak, serves as chairman emeritus. BJP leaders, including Punjab working president Ashwani Sharma, have accused the AAP government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, of using police power for political vendetta against dissenters. Sharma claimed that the actions reflect a broader trend of authoritarianism in Punjab, where dissent is criminalized. The Trident Group has also filed a legal challenge against the PPCB raid.
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The FIRs against Sandeep Pathak could have significant implications for political dynamics in Punjab, potentially affecting the operations of the Trident Group and the broader business environment in the state.
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