Who Is Durgesh Pathak? CBI Raids AAP Leader Appointed Gujarat Polls Co-In-Charge

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday raided the residence of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Durgesh Pathak in connection with alleged violations of foreign funding rules under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). The raid came just days after Pathak was appointed as AAP’s Gujarat co-in-charge for the 2027 Assembly elections.

AAP Alleges Political Vendetta

The AAP has accused the BJP-led central government of targeting Pathak out of fear of the party’s growing influence in Gujarat, where it won five seats in the 2022 state polls.

Senior AAP leader and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Atishi called the raid a sign of the BJP’s “frustration.”

“As soon as AAP started preparations for Gujarat elections, the CBI reached the house of Gujarat co-in-charge Durgesh Pathak to conduct a raid. In Gujarat, only AAP can challenge the BJP, and this raid shows their frustration! In all these years, the BJP has not understood that we are not going to be scared of their threats,” she tweeted.

“Conspiracy Born Out of Fear”: Manish Sisodia

Former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, who himself faced legal troubles in the Delhi excise policy case, alleged that the raid was a deliberate move to intimidate AAP.

“CBI raid at Durgesh Pathak’s house as soon as he got responsibility for the Gujarat elections 2027! This is not a coincidence. This is a conspiracy born out of fear of the BJP. The BJP knows that only AAP can challenge them in Gujarat now—and this truth has shaken them. The echo of fear is clearly heard in the knock of CBI,” he tweeted.

Sanjay Singh Accuses BJP of “Dirty Game”

AAP MP Sanjay Singh claimed that the BJP was resorting to pressure tactics to weaken the party.

“The BJP’s dirty game has started again. The CBI has reached the house of Gujarat’s co-in-charge. Modi government has tried every trick to finish AAP, but still they are not at peace. The BJP’s condition in Gujarat is bad. As soon as Durgesh Pathak was made the co-in-charge of Gujarat, CBI was sent to threaten him,” he said.

Who is Durgesh Pathak?

Durgesh Pathak is a key AAP leader and a member of the party’s highest decision-making body, the Political Affairs Committee. He has played a crucial role in strengthening AAP’s grassroots presence in Delhi and Punjab.

• Electoral Journey:

  • Debuted in the 2020 Delhi Assembly polls from Karawal Nagar but lost to BJP’s Mohan Singh Bisht.
  • Won the 2022 Rajinder Nagar bypoll by over 11,000 votes.
  • Contested again from Rajinder Nagar in 2025 but lost to BJP’s Umang Bajaj.

• Legal Troubles:

  • Named in the CBI chargesheet in the Delhi excise policy case, which also implicated top AAP leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia. Both were later granted bail.

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