News Analysis India

Tag: Sikhs For Justice

  • Himachal borders sealed; Pannun booked over Khalistani flags outside assembly

    By PTI

    SHIMLA: The Himachal Pradesh Police booked Sikhs for Justice leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun under anti-terror law UAPA and “sealed” the state’s borders after Khalistsni flags were put up on the gates of the state assembly complex in Dharamshala on Sunday.

    Himachal Pradesh police chief Sanjay Kundu also ordered the sealing of the state’s border and beefing up of the state-wide security, citing “pro-Khalistan activities” in the state and the banned outfit’s announcement of a Khalistan “referendum day” on June 6.

    The “sealing” of the border implies strict checks on vehicles and people entering the hilly state, police said.

    HP Director General of Police Kundu said Pannun has been booked as the main accused under section 13 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and sections 153 A and 153 B of the India Penal Code, besides section 3 of the HP Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1985.

    While section 13 of the UAPA pertains to the offence of inciting or abetting terror acts, sections 153 A and 153 B of the IPC deal with the offences of promoting communal or sectarian divides and animosity.

    Kundu said the FIR against Pannun and others was lodged on the complaint of Ram Chand alias Ajay Kumar of Kaned village under Dharamshala tehsil of the Kangra district.

    In a statement here on Sunday evening, the DGP said, “Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the general counsel to Sikhs for Justice has been made the main accused in the case.”

    The case was lodged at Dharamshala police station, he added The HP DGP also set up a seven-member Special Investigation Team to expeditiously investigate the case involving the putting up of Khalistani banners and scrawling of pro-Khalistan slogans and graffiti over the outer walls near the main gate of the Himachal legislative assembly complex Tapovan in Dharamshala.

    The members of the SIT are Kangra’s Additional Superintendent of Police Puneet Raghu, Jawalaji’s Sub-Divisional Police Officer Chander Paul, Mandi’s Deputy SP (CID) Sushant Sharma, Jawali SDPO Sidharath Sharma, besides the Dharamshala police station’s SHO and the Yol police post in-charge, the DGP said in his statement.

    The SIT has been directed to take up the investigation of the case immediately and carry out a professional and impartial investigation to ensure transparency, the HP police chief said.

    “The SIT has also been directed to contact with the state and central intelligence agencies to unearth the inter-state and international linkages if any,” he added.

    Kundu also ordered to “seal” the state’s border and beef up security at crowded and sensitive places in Himachal Pradesh.

    The HP DGP also asked the various field formations of the HP Police to remain on high alert in view of the incidents of Khalistani elements in the neighbouring states and also that of the putting up of a Khalistani banner in the Una district on April 11.

    His directions followed “also in view of the incident of hoisting banners and graffiti of Khalistan on the outer boundary of Vidhan Sabha in Dharamshala as well as the threat posed by SJF’s announcement of June 6 as the voting date for Khalistan Referendum in Himachal Pradesh”.

    Additional DGP-CID, range IGs and DIGs and district police chiefs too have been directed “to seal all interstate borders/barriers and keep a strict vigil at the places of probable hideouts i.e. hotels and inns of criminal elements, he said.

    “They have been directed to keep the special security units (SSUs), bomb disposal squads and quick reactions teams (QRTs) in position and on high alert and strengthen the security of dams, railway stations, bus stands, towns, government buildings and vital installations,” said Kundu.

    The HP police chief also directed various field formations to sensitise all the security staff/chowkidars of government buildings, banks, PSUs about the threat and to advise them to report any matter of concern to the local police station immediately.

    Pannun had earlier also called for hoisting the Khalistani flag in Shimla on April 29.

  • I&B Ministry orders blocking of apps, website, social media handles linked with banned Sikh outfit

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has ordered blocking of mobile applications, website, and social media accounts of foreign-based ‘Punjab Politics TV’ allegedly having close links with Sikhs For Justice (SFJ).

    Reasoning the action, the ministry stated that the organisation had been declared unlawful under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

    “Relying on intelligence inputs that the channel was attempting to use online media to disturb public order during the ongoing State Assembly Elections, the Ministry used emergency powers under the IT Rules on 18th February to block the digital media resources of ‘Punjab Politics TV’,” said the ministry.

    According to the ministry, the contents of the blocked apps, website, and social media accounts had the potential to incite communal disharmony and separatism; and were found to be “detrimental to the sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the State, and public order”.

     It was also observed that the launch of new apps and social media accounts was timed to gain traction during the ongoing elections, the statement, issued on Tuesday of the ministry read.

    The ministry added that the Government remains vigilant and committed to securing the overall information environment in India and thwarting any actions that have the potential to undermine India’s sovereignty and integrity.

    Earlier the ministry launched a crackdown on Pakistan’s based digital channels, portals, and social media handles running anti-India agenda and spreading fake news. It had ordered the blocking of 35 YouTube news channels and two websites last month.

  • NIA registers case against Jaswinder Singh Multani linked to Sikhs for Justice

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has registered a case against Jaswinder Singh Multani, an alleged operative of the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) who has been detained in Germany, for hatching a criminal conspiracy to wage war against India and attempting to revive terrorism in Punjab on Friday.

    The agency said, “The case relates to a criminal conspiracy hatched by Multani with several other pro-Khalistani elements located abroad for radicalising, motivating and recruiting youngsters in Punjab, on the ground and online through social media platforms, to propagate their ideology with an aim to secede Punjab from the Union of India.”

    As per the NIA, “They have been involved in raising funds to procure arms, ammunition and explosives by using smuggling networks in Punjab to revive terrorism in the state, the officials said, adding that Multani has also been in contact with ISI operatives for carrying out terror attacks in Mumbai and other parts of the country.”

    According to the officials, the case has been initiated under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including those related to waging war against the country, and the relevant provisions of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

    Multani is suspected to be linked to the Ludhiana court complex blast last week. Apart from it, earlier this year, the Punjab police registered two cases against Multani and others.

    The registration of the case would help the government take requisite action in accordance with law for expeditious investigation so that Multani could either be deported or extradited to India, the officials said.

  • NIA asks Canadian government to declare Sikhs For Justice a terror outfit

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  The National Investigation Agency has requested the Canadian government to declare Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) as a terrorist entity stating that many influential people associated with the outfit are working from Canada, sources said on Monday.

    The SFJ was banned by India under UAPA for its involvement in “promoting secession and violent extremism” in Punjab.

    A senior NIA official said that a two-member NIA team led by an IG-rank  official travelled to Canada in the first week of November and made an official request in this regard. 

    The official added that the NIA team also appealed to the Canadian government to expedite execution of requests made under the mutual legal assistance treaty (MLAT).

    “The visit is for better coordination of investigation against entities and individuals suspected of terrorism and to discuss other criminal matters,” a release issued by the Indian High Commission in Ottawa had said.

    The statement further said, “The two countries have a range of ongoing bilateral mechanisms, including a joint working group on counter-terrorism. The two countries had signed a treaty on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters in 1994 and have had an Extradition Treaty since 1987.”

    NIA officials also discussed issues  related to evidentiary requirements in India with Canadian authorities and possible cooperation for capacity building in police investigations.

    The NIA delegation also held meetings with the International Crime and Counter-terrorism Bureau of Global Affairs Canada and with senior officials from the International Affairs Division of Public Safety Canada, to deepen ties.

  • Punjab Police busts pro-Khalistan group Sikhs for Justice’s module; three arrested

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Punjab Police on Friday said it has busted a secessionist module of pro-Khalistan group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) with the arrest of its three members.

    Thousands of secessionist pamphlets promoting ‘Sikh Referendum 2020’ activities, which the banned outfit had pushed as part of its separatist agenda, have been recovered from the possession of the arrested persons during a raid conducted in Rampur village in the Khanna area of Ludhiana district, the police said in a statement.

    The SFJ was banned by the central government in 2019 under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act for its alleged anti-national activities.

    Those arrested have been identified as Gurwinder Singh of Rampur in Khanna, Jagwinder Singh and Sukhdev Singh, both residents of Morinda in Rupnagar, police said.

    Police have also booked SFJ’s Gurpatwant Singh Pannun and three others, all based in the US, and one more person from Khanna.

    “The police, in presence of duty magistrate, conducted raids in village Rampur in Khanna and recovered over 2.

    84 lakh pamphlets carrying referendum 2020 activities.

    The police also recovered one printer, spray pump and spray bottles for writing secessionist graffiti on walls, one laptop, three mobile phones and one car from their (those arrested) possession,” the statement said.

    “During preliminary investigation, it has been found that the accused Gurwinder Singh was radicalised and motivated over a Youtube channel named ‘US Media International’ being operated by J S Dhaliwal, who further introduced him to Gurpatwant Pannun.

    “On Pannun’s instructions, Gurwinder installed Khalistani flags on the premises of a government school in his village Rampur in Khanna,” the statement said.

    It has also been revealed that the accused has till date registered around 20-25 persons for promoting ‘Sikh Referendum 2020’ besides distributing pamphlets for different groups in the vicinity of Doraha, Ludhiana as well as providing money on the instance of Pannun, police said.

    Accused Gurwinder had also written wall graffiti, both in English and Punjabi, promoting ‘Sikh Referendum 2020’ activities, under bridges and on signboards at various places in the stretch of Khanna to Singhu border in Delhi, they said.

    On the night of August 15, he spray-painted pro-Sikh Referendum 2020 and anti-Indian slogans at various places, the statement said.

    For promoting secessionist activities, the accused had received huge funds from Pannun via human carriers, hawala and other channels, it said.

    An FIR has been registered under various provisions of the IPC and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act at police station State Special Operation Cell in Mohali.

    Further raids are being conducted to arrest the other accused, it said.

  • ‘Sikhs for Justice’ leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannu booked for assassination threat to Punjab CM

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Police on Tuesday registered a case against the ISI-backed Khalistan ideologue Gurpatwant Singh Pannu of the banned organization Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) over his assassination threat to Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh.

    Punjab DGP Dinkar Gupta said an FIR has been registered against Pannu, his associates, and other SFJ members at the State Cyber Crime Police Station SAS Nagar, under Sections 10 (a) and 13 (1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, besides sections 153, 153A IPC and Section-124 A of IPC.

    Gupta said Pannu threatened to assassinate the Chief Minister who is an elected constitutional head of the government of Punjab.

    Citing preliminary investigations into a video posted on SFJ’s Facebook page on August 28, Gupta said the visuals clearly suggested a criminal conspiracy against the Chief Minister, who was shown as being targeted with a gun and bullets.

    It may be recalled that SFJ had in July issued a threat against Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur. The outfit had claimed that it will not allow the CM to hoist the national flag on Independence Day. The Himachal Police had then registered a case against Pannu.

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    Sikhs For Justice, a US-based pro-Khalistani outfit, was banned by the Union Government through a notification issued on July 10, 2019, in the exercise of powers conferred by sub-sections (1) and (3) of Section 3 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. The move came after it was found that the SFJ was carrying out activities prejudicial to the internal security of India and the public order and have the potential of disrupting the peace, unity, and integrity of the country. It had also been found to have involved in anti-national and subversive activities in Punjab and elsewhere under the garb of a peaceful campaign to form a sovereign country called Khalistan. 

    Meanwhile, CM Amarinder Singh warned Pannu against any attempt to disturb the state’s peace, stability, and communal harmony.

    Amarinder asserted that any bid by the SFJ to create trouble in Punjab would be countered with the full might of his government. “Nobody will be allowed to disturb the hard-earned peace in Punjab and again plunge our people into the dark abyss of the terrorism, which took thousands of innocent lives,” Amarinder said, warning of a befitting response to SFJ’s disruptive and divisive acts.

    Punjab is the land of the Gurus, who had always propagated the ideology of oneness of humanity, the CM said, adding “Pannu’s attempts to fan hatred, divisiveness, and violence in the name of religion has already been strongly rejected by the people of Punjab and India, who want to live and prosper in peace. All political leaders and parties had condemned Pannu’s Pak ISI-funded campaign for a separate nation.”

  • India has sensitized OHCHR about activities of Sikhs for Justice: MEA

    Ministry of External Affairs said that we expect that there should be a proper understanding of developments in India.