Big Question: How Did Pathanmajra enter India despite issuance of Look Out Notice?
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ March 26,2026
Patiala Police have arrested absconding Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Sanour, Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra, from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday night, SSP Patiala Varun Sharma said on Wednesday.
A key question, however, remains unanswered: how and from where did he enter India when a Look Out Notice had already been issued against him? He is believed to have been in Australia before returning to India prior to his arrest.
On Wednesday, March 25, 2026, he was produced by Patiala Police in a local court amid tight security arrangements. The court remanded him to four days of police custody.
A special team led by SP Vaibhav Choudhary, SP G.S. Bains, DSP Rajesh Malhotra, along with officials from CIA Patiala, Samana in-charge, and the Special Cell Rajpura, carried out the operation to arrest the sitting ruling party MLA from Madhya Pradesh. The operation was codenamed ‘Pathan’.
Patiala Police told the media that after escaping, Pathanmajra first fled to Nepal by road. He later travelled to Australia, where he held a valid visa and had visited earlier. He is believed to have stayed there for several months before returning to India two weeks ago, after which he moved to Gwalior, where he was eventually apprehended.
A big question arises whether the Look out Notice was active or withdrawn after Pathanmajra announces on his social media platform that he will return back to India in February this year?
When asked how Pathanmajra managed to enter India despite a Look Out Notice, SP Headquarters, Patiala Vaibhav Choudhary, IPS, who led the team to apprehend the fugitive MLA, said, “We are investigating the entire matter, including his movements and places of stay. It is part of the investigation. We will share the details and timeline with the media after completing the probe.”
The district police had registered a case against him on September 1 on charges of rape, cheating, and criminal intimidation. He had been absconding since then, and a Look Out Notice was issued against him in November 2025.
What is a Look Out Notice?
A Look Out Circular (LOC), or Look Out Notice, is a restrictive directive issued by authorized government agencies to immigration authorities to prevent individuals—primarily accused or wanted persons—from leaving or entering India through airports, seaports, or land borders. It is used to track and apprehend individuals involved in cognizable offences, financial fraud, or to prevent them from evading legal proceedings.
