Gurpatwant Singh Pannu
The Punjab Police Thursday registered two separate FIRs against Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, the legal advisor of the banned pro-Khalistan outfit Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), and his associates, on charges of sedition and secessionism. The cases were registered at Amritsar and Kapurthala.
This comes a day after Centre designated Pannu and eight others as terrorists under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act by the Centre for actively running a secessionist campaign against India from foreign and motivating the Sikh youth from Punjab to join militant ranks.
One of the FIRs is based on a complaint filed the Dalit Suraksha Sena (DSS) at a police station in Amritsar for allegedly burning the Indian Constitution and the National Flag besides instigating others to do so too.
In its complaint, the DSS said Pannu, the self-styled legal advisor of the SFJ and his accomplices were seen dishonouring the Indian Constitution and the national flag in a video.
They were seen setting a copy of the Constitution and the flag on fire, while shouting slogans of Khalistan Zindabad, as per the complaint.
Pannu was also seen inciting the entire Sikh community against the Indian Constitution and in favour of the Referendum 2020, said the complaint.
The complaint said these abhorrent actions of the individuals in question had “brazenly dishonoured the ideals” on which the Indian state has been established and thereby had “hurt the sentiments” of the entire SC community.
Immediate action was necessitated in pursuance to the reception of the above complaint as Pannu and his associates were found to be involved in the “commission of seditious acts” through their actions and words, both spoken and written, thus attempting to create a communal divide as well as instigating disaffection towards the government established by law in India, said a spokesperson of the police department.
In addition, he and his associates have also committed unlawful activities, being members of a proscribed organisation and thus Pannu and his associates have committed offences punishable under relevant sections of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971; Indian Penal Code; UAPA and the SC/ST Act, the spokesperson said.
The second FIR registered at Bhulath in Kapurthala is based on reliable inputs of entry of Joginder Singh Gujjar, alias Goga, in India in February 2020, a police spokesperson said, adding that Pannu and his associates had been charged with seditious and secessionist activities in the case.
The spokesperson said it had been learnt that Joginder Singh is a prominent and active member of the SFJ. Joginder Singh, at the behest of Pannu, with whom he is in regular contact for promoting the activities of the SFJ, was reportedly providing financial assistance to the organization operatives/activists based in Punjab/India and abroad, the spokesperson said.
“It has also came to light that Joginder Singh had visited Geneva, Switzerland in November 2019, to attend and actively participate in the anti-India convention organized by SFJ. He along with Pannu was learnt to be actively propagating secessionist activities and promoting activities aimed at the division of India under the banner of ‘Referendum 2020’ in Punjab as well as abroad,” the spokesperson added.