His wife and other family members were inside the house in Patiala when the eviction took place
The Patiala district administration on Wednesday evicted rape-accused AAP MLA from Sanour Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra from his allotted government accommodation here amid heavy police deployment.
MLA’s wife, Simranjeet Kaur, was present inside the house at the time of the eviction. District administration had already brought a truck to move out the furniture.
Officials familiar with development, pleading anonymity, said that the allotment to residence 9 C, located on Passey Road in Patiala, was cancelled in September last year.
The administration said the eviction was conducted as per procedure after the legislator failed to vacate the premises despite repeated notices.
Bikramjeet Singh Bhullar, advocate for Pathanmajra, claimed that due process was not followed.
“The Patiala sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) had issued a notice to vacate the house in October last year. We challenged the notice before the SDM, but our plea was dismissed. After that, we challenged the eviction before the Patiala deputy commissioner. However, before the DC could hear the matter, the district administration carried out the eviction today,” Bhullar said.
He further alleged that the SDM was aware that the MLA’s wife and other family members were present inside the house at the time of eviction. “Despite this, the administration proceeded with the eviction, which is arbitrary and unjust,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}He further alleged that the SDM was aware that the MLA’s wife and other family members were present inside the house at the time of eviction. “Despite this, the administration proceeded with the eviction, which is arbitrary and unjust,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Reacting to the eviction, MLA’s wife Simranjeet said he is still an incumbent MLA and is entitled to government accommodation.
The Punjab government had cancelled the allotment of the government residence in September last year after Pathanmajra was booked in a rape case. He has been absconding since September 2, when he allegedly fled from a relative’s house in Karnal in Haryana, minutes after a Punjab Police team arrived to arrest him.
Meanwhile, in a post onfacebook, Pathanmajra criticised the Punjab government. “Several other AAP leaders were still occupying government accommodations,” Pathanmajra claimed and urged chief minister Bhagwant Mann not to ‘stoop so low’ and alleged a political vendetta behind the eviction.