New Delhi: Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a law graduate from Amritsar, who reportedly fled to the USA in 2007, founded the now-banned Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) — espousing the idea of ‘Khalistan’ — and established himself as an attorney of law abroad, has been on the radar of Indian investigation agencies since 2019.
Facing over 16 criminal cases in Punjab, including three of sedition, some registered under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and Arms Act, Pannun is known to be operating from Canada and the USA. He is currently in the USA and the face of SFJ and its legal adviser, sources in the security establishment said.
Amid heightened tensions between India and Canada, following a statement by the Canadian PM on India’s alleged involvement in killing Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh extremist leader, in Canada this June, Pannun is back in attention this week for allegedly issuing threats to Indo-Canadian Hindus, asking them to leave the country and return to India.
According to National Investigation Agency (NIA) document, hee was among the founders of the US-based SFJ which claims to be an international advocacy and human rights group set up in 2007 with the express intent of achieving “self-determination for the Sikh people in their historic homeland in the region of Indian held Punjab and establishing a sovereign state, popularly known as Khalistan”.
The SFJ was declared an “Unlawful Association” by the Government of India on 10 July, 2019, and Pannun was declared a “designated individual terrorist” by the Government of India on 1 July, 2020.
Banning the SFJ, the MHA had noted then, “In the garb of the so-called referendum for Sikhs, SFJ is actually espousing secessionism and militant ideology in Punjab, while operating from safe havens on foreign soils and actively supported by inimical forces in other countries.”
From holding ‘Punjab Referendum 2020’ to running a campaign seeking the release of Jagtar Singh Hawara, who is serving a life sentence in the Beant Singh assassination case, his name has surfaced in several terror-related investigations carried out by both Punjab police and the NIA.
According to the records available with the Indian security agencies, Pannun was born in Khankot village in Amritsar. His family had migrated from Pakistan to Amritsar during partition in 1947. He studied law from Punjab University, and then worked as a lawyer in the Punjab and Haryana High Court before fleeing to the US in 2007, after he was allegedly found to be involved in the assassination of a Hindu leader.
“His father, Mohinder Singh Pannun Jat, is a former employee with the Punjab State Agricultural Marketing Board. Pannun also owns properties in Punjab and has a thriving business in the USA,” a source in the NIA said.
According to the records, he runs a law firm, ‘Pannun Law Firm’, which has offices in Astoria Boulevard and Queens in New York, and in Liberty Street, Fremont, in California. Pannun also owns a property on the 59th floor of the Empire State Building, sources in the security establishment claimed.
The NIA confiscated the house and land of the self-styled general counsel of the SFJ in Amritsar (Punjab) and Chandigarh UT Saturday.
The properties confiscated by NIA include 46 kanal agricultural land situated in village Khankot, Amritsar, and 1/4th share of House Number 2033, Sector 15/C in Chandigarh.
According to the NIA, the action was part of India’s crackdown on the terror and secessionist network being operated from various countries, including Canada.
‘Promoting terror, hoisting Khalistani flags’
Pannun has been on the NIA’s radar since 2019, when the anti-terror agency registered its first case against him.
According to NIA officials, he 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.
An NIA Special Court issued non-bailable warrants of arrest against Pannun on 3 February, 2021, and he was declared a ‘Proclaimed Offender (PO)’ on 29 November last year.
The NIA investigations have revealed that the SFJ was misusing cyberspace to radicalise gullible youth and to instigate them to undertake terrorist crimes and activities.
“Pannun was the main handler and controller of the SFJ. He has been actively exhorting Punjab-based gangsters and youth over the social media to fight for the cause of the independent state of Khalistan, challenging the sovereignty, integrity and security of the country,” an NIA officer said on the condition of anonymity.
An agency source said he has also been providing “financial help to the youth in Punjab for creating violence”
“Through his videos, many times he has demanded and advocated a separate State, Khalistan. He is instigating and abetting youths to join them in Khalistan Referendum 2020 and providing financial help to youths in the region for creating violence or fear to disturb peace,” the source said.
According to sources in the agency, Pannun also ran the SFJ’s campaign against Indian politicians who were allegedly linked to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots by moving the US courts seeking to prosecute Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh and Kamal Nath.
Acting on the plea, in September 2013, during Manmohan Singh’s visit to the US, a federal court in Washington had also issued summons to the then PM. In 2016, then Punjab CM Amarinder Singh also had to cancel a visit to Canada following a case filed by the SFJ.
During the G20 Summit, Pannun purportedly released an audio message asking Kashmiri Muslims residing in the Valley to go to Delhi and march to Pragati Maidan after Friday prayers. According to media reports, he also threatened to hoist the Khalistani flag at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International airport.
This year on Republic Day, another video on social media, purportedly by Pannun, said that the SFJ will unfurl the Khalistan flag at Red Fort.
The video claimed that the SFJ will “liberate Punjab from Indian occupation in 2023”. In the message, Pannun also purportedly offered USD 5,00,000 to anyone who unfurls Khalistan’s flag at the Red Fort.
In May last year, Pannun had also claimed responsibility for installing Khalistani flags on the gates of the assembly building in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh. Days later, when a rocket-propelled grenade was thrown at the Punjab Police’s Intelligence wing headquarters in Mohali an audio message, purportedly of Pannun started doing the rounds on social media claiming responsibility for the attack.
(Edited by Smriti Sinha)
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