Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) activist Hardeep Singh, who was booked for 'attempt to rape', continued to evade arrest by the Moonak police of Sangrur district, even as seven police teams had been pressed into service for tracing him.

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The police, during a search operation of his home and shop in the village, found Hardeep's pictures with top leaders of AAP. He was shown closeted with AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal and senior leaders, including the party's Punjab affairs in-charge Sanjay Singh, Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann, and others. Sources told TOI that AAP's top functionaries stayed with Hardeep at his residence when they were on a tour of the area. Hardeep is heading a cluster of villages in Lehragaga under Moonak sub-division of Sangrur.

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The victim -- a 15-year-old Dalit girl -- had appeared before the judge on Friday, and got her statement recorded under Section 164 of CrPC. She accused Hardeep of attempt to rape, and said timely intervention of the villagers saved her. The incident occurred in the darkroom of Hardeeep's photo studio, where she had gone, along with her younger sister, to get herself photographed. The younger sister had raised an alarm on hearing shrieks from the darkroom. Moonak deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Akashdeep Singh Aulakh told TOI that police were raiding the houses of Hardeep's friends and relatives. "He will definitely be arrested within the next few days," added Aulakh.

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Meanwhile, AAP is conducting an independent investigation into the matter. An AAP spokesperson said the party did not believe in the police story. "We are of the view that the police are likely to be influenced by political pressure. The party will come out with the truth in a day or so," he said.