New Delhi: Widening its crackdown against Sikh extremists settled abroad, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has confiscated the house and land of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the leader of the banned outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ).
Pannun is known to be operating from Canada and the USA and is currently in the USA, according to sources in the security establishment.
In its statement, the NIA has said that the latest action was taken under the
purview of section 33(5) of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 and the confiscated properties included agricultural land in Amritsar and residential property in Chandigarh. The confiscation was done on the orders of a special NIA court in Mohali, Punjab.
The confiscation of Pannun’s property came the same day that the NIA’s Mohali court ordered the confiscation of property belonging to another Sikh extremist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Jalandhar. Nijjar’s killing in Canada earlier this year has resulted in a diplomatic row between India and Canada, after the latter accused India of being involved in the killing.
Pannun was under probe by the NIA since 2019 and the government of India declared him as a “designated individual terrorist”. Since then, he has been slapped with multiple non-bailable warrants and was declared a proclaimed offender in November last year.
This week, after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the government of India and its agents of being involved in Nijjar’s killing, Pannun threatened Hindus of Indian origin to leave Canada in a video released from New York.
He asked Hindus to “Leave Canada, go to India” while alleging that the community had unleashed “nefarious and aggressive campaigns” against Canada. He also declared that a “Shaheed Nijjar Kill India Referendum” will take place on 29 October in Vancouver, Canada.
‘Misusing cyberspace to radicalise youth’
NIA has accused Pannun’s organisation SFJ of “misusing the cyberspace to radicalise gullible youth and to instigate them to undertake terrorist crimes and activities”. Subsequent to these findings by the NIA, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had declared SFJ as an “Unlawful Association” in 2019.
NIA has so far filed three chargesheets against SFJ and Pannun, the last one being for hoisting the Khalistani flag and tearing of the Indian flag in deputy commissioner’s office in Moga district of Punjab.
Khalistan is the separate land which some Sikhs have been demanding.
In two other charge sheets filed against SFJ and Pannun, the NIA had alleged that “SFJ has been attempting to undermine the security of the Indian State by instigating Sikh personnel in the Indian Army to rise up in mutiny against India. SFJ is also trying to radicalise youth of Kashmir and openly extending support for secession of Kashmir from India.”
“Pannun has been on NIA’s radar since 2019, when the anti-terror agency registered its first case against the terrorist, who has been playing a major role in promoting and commissioning terror acts and activities, and spreading fear and terror in Punjab and elsewhere in the country through his threats and intimidation tactics,” NIA said in its statement released after the confiscation of Pannun’s properties.
The agency has also accused Pannun of trying to encourage gangsters operating out of Punjab and the youth to fight for the cause of Khalistan. Pannun has been using social media and funds to lure youngsters and professional criminals in Punjab to join his ranks.
“NIA investigations have revealed that Pannun’s organisation, Sikhs for Justice, was misusing the cyberspace to radicalise gullible youth and to instigate them to undertake terrorist crimes and activities. It further emerged during the NIA investigations that Pannun was the main handler and controller of the SFJ,” said the NIA.
(Edited by Poulomi Banerjee)
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