Chandigarh: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator Manjinder Singh Lalpura, representing the Khadoor Sahib Assembly constituency, has been sentenced to four years of imprisonment in a case related to the molestation and assault of a Dalit woman dating back to 2013.
The verdict was delivered on Friday by Additional Sessions Judge of Tarn Taran, Prem Kumar. Lalpura, who was convicted on September 10, was immediately taken into custody following the sentencing.
According to the victim’s counsel, Amit Dhawan, the case was registered under Sections 323, 324, and 354 of the Indian Penal Code, along with provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. In total, 12 individuals were convicted in connection with the incident. Out of these, seven have been arrested, one accused is deceased, another is already lodged in Tihar Jail, while three remain absconding.
The victim expressed satisfaction over the judgment, stating that it was the outcome of a long and arduous legal battle against the accused. “It was a difficult fight, but justice has finally been delivered,” she told the media.
At the time of the incident, Lalpura was working as a taxi driver. The assault occurred at a wedding hall in Tarn Taran, where the woman was allegedly beaten with canes by police personnel, with Lalpura also involved in the assault. She was further molested during the attack.
Lalpura’s conviction and sentencing have come at a time when the ruling AAP in Punjab is facing mounting criticism due to a series of controversies involving its legislators. Just days earlier, another MLA, Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra from Sanaur, was booked in a rape and cheating case and later escaped police custody in Karnal, Haryana.
The party has faced multiple setbacks in recent years. In June 2025, Jalandhar (Central) MLA Raman Arora was arrested by the state vigilance bureau in a corruption case. Earlier, in February 2023, Bathinda (Rural) MLA Amit Rattan Kotfatta was arrested in a graft case, while in 2022, then health minister and Mansa MLA Vijay Singla was removed from office and arrested on corruption charges.
While critics argue these incidents have damaged the party’s credibility, AAP leaders insist they reflect the government’s “zero tolerance” policy towards corruption and misconduct. Party spokesman Neel Garg said, “The law has taken its own course in Lalpura’s case. Our stand is clear—we will not defend anyone involved in wrongdoing.”
