The Sandeep Pathak Firs Punjab moment

NEW DELHI: Punjab Police have registered two FIRs under non-bailable sections against Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak in separate districts of the state. Sandeep Pathak Firs Punjab has emerged this Saturday as one of the stories drawing attention in India.

Key facts

• NEW DELHI: Punjab Police have registered two FIRs under non-bailable sections against Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak in separate districts of the state.
• Two non-bailable FIRs filed against BJP MP Sandeep Pathak days after switch from AAP.
• Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak left his official residence in New Delhi on Saturday, at a time he is likely to face arrest after two First Information Reports (FIRs) have been registered against him in Punjab, per reports.
• The BJP has alleged vendetta politics after reports emerged that two FIRs have been registered against Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak days after he quit the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab and joined the saffron party.
• Sandeep Pathak was among the seven AAP Rajya Sabha MPs who had quit the Arvind Kejriwal-led party and joined the BJP.

What we know

Going deeper, two non-bailable FIRs filed against BJP MP Sandeep Pathak days after switch from AAP.

On the substance, Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak left his official residence in New Delhi on Saturday, at a time he is likely to face arrest after two First Information Reports (FIRs) have been registered against him in Punjab, per reports.

Beyond the headlines, the BJP has alleged vendetta politics after reports emerged that two FIRs have been registered against Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak days after he quit the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab and joined the saffron party.

More precisely, Sandeep Pathak was among the seven AAP Rajya Sabha MPs who had quit the Arvind Kejriwal-led party and joined the BJP.

It is worth noting that Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak left his Delhi residence amid possible arrest in Punjab cases.

By the numbers

At this stage, Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Mittal, cricketer Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Swati Maliwal and Vikramjit Sahney were the AAP Rajya Sabha MPs who announced their exit from the party on April 24, alleging that the party had strayed from its principles, values and core morals.

On a related note, Pathak, who has been a member of the Upper House from Punjab since April 2022, was widely regarded as a key strategist behind AAP’s sweeping victory in the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections.

Going deeper, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has announced that he will meet President Droupadi Murmu on May 5 to raise the issue of what he described as "illegal" and "unlawful defection", while asserting that such "actions amount to a betrayal of the people's mandate".

On the substance, Mann won a confidence vote in the 117-member Punjab Assembly mandated by the Rajya Sabha MPs' exit from AAP.

The wider context

On a related note, Punjab Police said it filed the cases in two separate districts, with sources indicating that the FIRs include non-bailable charges related to corruption and harassment of women.

Going deeper, Meanwhile, Punjab Jails Minister Dr Ravjot Singh refused to comment on the row around Sandeep Pathak.

On the substance, two FIRs filed against Pathak involve non-bailable offences, sources reported.

Beyond the headlines, Sources told India Today that the FIRs were lodged shortly after Pathak’s exit from AAP, raising questions from BJP leaders about the timing of the action.

More precisely, Reacting to the reports, Pathak denied any knowledge of the FIRs and indicated that the move may be politically driven.

The bottom line

• Two non-bailable FIRs filed against BJP MP Sandeep Pathak days after switch from AAP.
• The BJP has alleged vendetta politics after reports emerged that two FIRs have been registered against Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak days after he quit the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab and joined the saffron party.
• Two FIRs filed against Pathak involve non-bailable offences, sources reported.