Punjab’s anti-terror court in Mohali delivered justice on May 1, convicting two men for their audacious attempt to challenge India’s unity by displaying a Khalistani flag at a district official’s office. The 2020 episode in Moga not only insulted the national flag but also highlighted the transnational reach of banned outfits like Sikhs for Justice.
Inderjeet Singh and Jaspal Singh, locals from Moga, sneaked into the Deputy Commissioner’s premises on the eve of Independence Day. They climbed to the roof, replaced the Tricolour’s rope with their flag bearing ‘Khalistan’, and callously let the Indian flag plummet and be dragged on the dirt floor.
The court imposed a rigorous sentence: five-and-a-half years imprisonment and a 16,000-rupee penalty under IPC, UAPA, and flag desecration laws. This stems from NIA probes linking the act to Gurpatwant Singh Pannun’s inflammatory social media calls. The designated terrorist, operating from America, incentivized such acts with cash bounties, including $2,500 for government buildings.
Earlier chargesheets named Pannun, his aide Harpreet Singh (both absconding), and four others. The court had proclaimed the duo offenders in 2021. Evidence showed Harpreet wiring funds to the perpetrators, fulfilling Pannun’s video provocations aired days before the hoist.
This case exposes how overseas radicals exploit digital platforms to incite violence in India. With SFJ labeled unlawful, the conviction reinforces legal barriers against separatism. Punjab police and NIA’s coordinated efforts continue to dismantle such networks, ensuring public spaces remain symbols of unity, not division.
The ruling arrives amid heightened alerts on Khalistani activities, reminding citizens of the perils of foreign-funded disruptions.
