Two FIRs against Sandeep Pathak in Punjab, BJP calls it 'vendetta politics': What we know

TWo FIRs feature been registered against Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak in Punjab, years after he quit the Aam Aadmi company (AAP) to get together the Bharatiya Janata company (BJP).Pathak was among the seven Rajya Sabha MPs who recently left the AAP and merged with the BJP. The others include Raghav Chadha, Swati Maliwal, Rajinder Gupta, Vikramjit Sahney, Harbhajan Singh and Ashok Mittal.Except for Maliwal, all are MPs from Punjab. Their collective exit significantly reduced AAP’s Rajya Sabha strength from 10 to three, delivering a major setback to the party ahead of the Punjab elections.What we know so farWhile the exact reason behind the cases is not yet clear, government sources told HT that the FIRs have been filed under non-bailable sections.“Punjab Police is making efforts to arrest the accused as FIRs have been registered under non-bailable sections,” HT earlier reported citing government sources.Amid reports surfacing on Saturday, Pathak was seen leaving his Delhi residence. When approached for a response, the Rajya Sabha MP did not engage and left in his car.There has been no official confirmation from Punjab Police so far regarding the FIRs.When asked about the development, Sandeep Pathak told news agency ANI: “I have no idea of any FIR against me.”BJP alleges 'vendetta politics'The FIRs have triggered sharp reactions from the BJP, which has accused the AAP leadership of political retaliation.In a post on X, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla alleged that AAP leadership was targeting dissenters and using state machinery for political ends."Two FIRs have been filed against Sandeep Pathak, who until recently was in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as a Rajya Sabha MP and general secretary (organisation). What is baffling is the shameless, brazen vendetta politics being pursued by Arvind Kejriwal, with Bhagwant Mann complicit in it," Poonawalla wrote.He further said, "It is clear this has been done out of vendetta politics by Kejriwal, who is extremely vengeful and vindictive, and misuses the Punjab Police to pursue such political vendetta."Questioning the timing of the FIRs, he added, "If these cases existed from the beginning, why were FIRs not filed earlier? If he was corrupt, why was he kept in the party for so long, especially when he was the general secretary (organisation)? Has any new material surfaced in the last few days, or has the alleged corruption occurred only now?"Poonawalla also claimed that several former AAP leaders, including Yogendra Yadav, Mayank Gandhi, Ashish Khetan, Ashutosh and Alka Lamba, were previously “hounded” after exiting the party.BJP leader Tarun Chugh echoed similar sentiments, saying, “A palpable atmosphere of resentment against the AAP government has taken root in the minds of the people. It is out of this very frustration, despair, and angst that these vindictive actions are being carried out. However, the people of Punjab are not ones to be intimidated; Punjab will not bow down," ANI quoted him as saying.Earlier this week, the AAP government also came under attack from the BJP after the Punjab Pollution Control Board carried out a raid at the Dhaula unit of Trident Group. The unit is linked to Rajya Sabha MP and Rajinder Gupta, founder of the billion-dollar textile major, who also switched from AAP to BJP. The party had rejected any charges.